Ten Paces and Draw

The Everywhere Project

2012-03-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Whoa! I just came across "The Everywhere Project" a collaborative design project being curated by Adrian Walsh. The concept revolves around lyrics to the song "I've Been Everywhere" adapted by Hank Snow from an Australian song of the same name.

The project features designers and illustrators creating luggage tags based on all of the locations listed in the song. Each location is being revealed slowly, and the work they have to show so far is amazing. Here are a few from the site, including a piece from Ten Paces contributor Marisa Seguin.

I wonder if Baltimore or Minnesota are already spoken for? (hint hint). Everyone should check out the project here and give it some support. What an awesome concept!

Witchita by Matt Chase

Baraboo by Marisa Seguin

Waterloo by Nate Luetkehans

Process: Melanie Matthews

2012-02-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today we have the super talented Melanie Matthews giving us a step-by-step look into her illustration process. Melanie is a freelance illustrator and designer based in Melbourne, Australia. Her work is really great, and I'm so happy to have her share her process for everyone on Ten Paces!

1. Here is my cleaned up sketch, opened in Photoshop and ready to go!

2. The very first step of colouring is to fill in all of the flat colours. This can be done in either Photoshop or Illustrator, but I tend to do this in Photoshop. These colours can also be changed during the next step but this is pretty much what the final colours will be.

3. After the colours are all down, next comes the most fun part – adding textures! I use my own Photoshop brushes, which are made by making paint splotches on paper with black acrylic paint, and then scanning them and converting them into Photoshop brushes. Putting the textures in is a matter of ‘painting’ them in and blending them until I get the look that I want.

Each layer is textured one by one, as you can see here.

4. The next step after all the textures are done, is to go back in with a pencil brush and add some line work and draw in the last few details.

These details include things like facial features, outlines and maybe a bit of cross-hatching for extra shading.

5. And below is the finished piece, with all the lines added in! Hooray! Now it’s time to enjoy a cup of tea and some biscuits!

To check out more of Melanie's work you can visit her portfolio, twitter, and flickr!

Philadelphia Inspiration: Draplin Design Co.

2012-02-27T13:13:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that Philly holds a special place in the heart of the Ten Paces crew. The project was started just after this time last year when Rachel and I (along with our friend Matthew) moved to a home in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia. Although one of us is now in the Midwest (me), Philly will forever be the home of Ten Paces! This awesome 'Philadelphia Freedom' poster is an amazing tribute to an amazing city by Drablin Design Co.

And Now This Entire Department is Ka-Screwed

2012-02-24T11:03:00.003-05:00

This is the most beautiful set of drop caps ever. Yes. Sketch by Lydia Nichols, final by Ricky Linn.

Ricky Linn is a graphic design student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He is a robot simply that does not require sleep and loves anything and everything mid-century design. Check out his work here!

A THOUSAND TIMES YES

2012-02-24T11:01:00.001-05:00

A girl can dream. Sketch by Alyssa Nassner, final by Francesca Buchko.

TREAT YO SELF

2012-02-24T10:59:00.002-05:00

Velvet slippies, cashmere socks, velvet pants, cashmere turtle.

Sketch by Ann Shen, final by Marloes de Vries!

I'm Asking You As a Man To Stop This Immediately!

2012-02-24T10:54:00.002-05:00

GIVE ME ALL THE BACON AND ALL THE EGGS YOU HAVE.

Sketch by Fitz Fitzpatrick, final by Rachel Dougherty!

Show Me the Pelosi Again.

2012-02-24T10:51:00.003-05:00

He was a horse. Yeah. Because he followed his dreams. Sketch by Francesca Buchko, final by Alyssa Nassner!

That's Amore

2012-02-24T10:49:00.001-05:00

If only I could eat chicky chicky parm parm with Tom Haverford. If only. Sketch by Rachel Dougherty, final by Jimmy Malone.

He's Eating Soup. On a Bench. Alone.

2012-02-24T10:46:00.002-05:00

Nuff said. Sketch by Ricky Linn, final by Lydia Nichols!

Rectangle. America. Megaphone. Butthole.

2012-02-24T10:39:00.002-05:00

BE A MAN. Check out this fantastic portrait of everyone's favorite mustachioed hero, Ron Swanson, by Fitz Fitzpatrick, based on the sketch below by Jimmy Malone!

Egg Hunt Fail!

2012-02-24T10:35:00.002-05:00

It's PARKS + REC WEEK here at Ten Paces! Is everybody pumped? GET PUMPED. Let's start with this fantastic easter portrait of Leslie Knope by Ann Shen, based on a sketch by Marloes de Vries! Solid!

Illustrated Mixtape: TLC

2012-02-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Closing out our February mixtape we give you everybody's favorite down-low classic: Creep by TLC! We have some amazing pieces of art by returning Ten Paces stars Sarah Straub and Justin Volz and newcomer Natalie Hall.

Kick up the slowjams and check out the fabulous work below!

Justin Volz

Sarah Straub

Natalie Hall

Q + A: Natalie Andrewson

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Name: Natalie Andrewson

Age: 20

Location: Charlotte, NC // Sarasota, FL

Q: What are some of the main influences of your work? Do you have any advice for fighting creative block?

My influences are constantly changing! But the ones I’ve held on to for a long time have been Japanese prints, Folk tales and art, old thrift store photographs, Henry Darger, Paul Gauguin, childhood Yosemite memories, stories my grandmother tells, Traditional Norwegian anything, epic dreams, traveling, and turn of the century book illustrators like Ivan Bilibin, Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham. Some more recent influences have definitely been more artists rather than random nostalgia (which could be bad) but those guys have been like Hugo Pratt, Jillian Tamaki, Tadahiro Uesugi, Andrew Hem, Sterling Hundley and John Hendrix (to only name a few)!

Advice for fighting creative block? Sit down with no music, no lights on- nothing to give you any kind of sensory overload and just let the images spill into your head. They totally will come too. You just have to be open to them and give yourself a breather to let them out.

Q: How and when did you first become interested in art and illustration?

I really didn’t know what illustration was until I was a senior in high school and was beginning to look at art colleges. I went to a magnet art school and it was very fine arts based and no one had really talked about illustration as a possibility. In middle school (6^th-12^th) I was actually told I was not allowed to make comics in class. I did them anyway, but that was a major bummer, like it was forbidden in the real art world. Throughout school I was sort of at war with myself over being a gallery artist - which I knew wasn’t my passion - so when I heard about being an illustration major I completely swooned. The idea of being able to create work for magazines and children’s books and package design was really exciting- it meant I wasn’t limited to anything and I hope I never am.

Q: What is the first thing you do when you start working? Any warm-up rituals?

Hm. Sure! I wipe my desk clean of everything - even pencil shavings, even my phone. I sit down with the absolute essentials and plan out how I’m gonna start this sucker. Its like sitting down to a game of Risk. Will I go for Brazil first? Or New Guinea. Creating a new piece is definitely a game to me…that needs constant plan re-evaluating and fresh eyes/mind every now and then.

Q: Can you briefly explain your illustration process?

I guess I answered this a little bit above but it normally includes me figuring things out on the way. The process is really different each time and I try to keep it that way. I’m not satisfied with any particular way of finishing things yet so I’m trying to experiment as much as I can.

Q: You're currently attending Ringling in Florida - what has your art school experience been thus far? Do you have any advice to students considering pursuing illustration?

I’ve really enjoyed my time at Ringling so far. There are always times when I wish I could make my own illustration program but out of all the art schools I visited Ringling, to me, was the most influential and welcoming. I’ve had the honor of having some amazing teachers who have been completely supportive and guiding, but the best teachers here have been other students. When I leave school I’m gonna be completely lost and I hope I find a creative family like the one I’ve found here. Enough of the sap- if you’re looking to be an illustrator get ready for a million choices, tons of wonderful artists that freak you out, hardcore self motivation and a completely open career that you have the freedom of molding yourself. If you’re looking for an art school- honestly, they’re all pretty great. I’m constantly finding alumni who are amazing- coming out of every school and sometimes I say to myself ‘man. If I went to SVA I could have had THAT teacher??!’ but really, you make your own awesome art experiences wherever you go. If you’re really motivated it doesn’t matter where you end up, just follow your footsteps and jump into every opportunity that scoots your way.

Q: What was your first illustration gig / Who's your dream client?

No idea. It depends on what’s considered the first ‘gig’. I sold comics when I was 12. I painted posters for chick-fil-a when I was 15. I made a logo for a dog company in high school (oh god that logo). But the first really real gig must have been last summer when a friend’s brother asked me to do design and create the artwork for an orthodontist app. for iphone. It was surprisingly professional and fun! I got to draw braces and big teeth and squirty toothpaste tubes. I learned a whoolllee lot about photoshop, making contracts, making super tight deadlines and being professional via email. All really tough things to figure out if you haven’t gone through them before. I’m glad I got it over with and now I feel comfortable talking with clients and I understand how fast I work. If you need the experience definitely ask to work with Ten Paces. It’s great practice making deadlines and emailing some professional ladies!

Dream client?! Right now… Soojin Buzelli :). She came and talked at this illustration thing we put on called Illest of Ill and now I’m seeing that all of my favorite artists have worked with her. I don’t even know what my dream job would be- maybe working in every aspect of illustration I can? I’d like to work in editorial, narrative, design, book, apparel, music, product design, and film..there’s so much more.

Q: What’s a project you’d like to work on? Is there an artist you’d like to collaborate with?

I’d love to put together something like the Anthology project with a bunch of up and coming artists. Sounds like a ton of fun and a great excuse to make more comics! The 1200 posters thing sounds awesome too! Maybe making a magazine/blog based on wild inspiration would be cool too- I guess that’s what tumblr is for though? I think collaborating with just about any artist would be incredible! right now.. two people i'd really love to collaborate with are Sam Bosma and Jillian Tamaki. I see a lot of myself in their work and think it'd be pretty cool to create with them, or just hang out sometime maybe.

Q: What has been your favorite Ten Paces swap so far? If you had to add a theme to the line-up, what would it be?

Hm it’s gonna be a tie between the Master Copy and what I wore today swaps! To add? Maybe a show and tell swap? sweet things you'd never get rid of swap? Maybe that just gives away that i'm a total hoarder.

Q: What are some of your favorite things to do outside of making awesome illustrations?

I like to go thrifting! Finding cool things with stories behind them and writing down their histories (I mostly make them up). In Charlotte I live an hour away from Boone where I can skii, kayak, hike, explore, mountain climb and bike epic trails. I love spending time up there and luckily in Sarasota there are some cool places to camp and kayak as well! I really like going to the library and rummaging through the comics and children’s book sections. I get sucked away for hours doing that and it needs to happen more often.

Q: You're from North Carolina, but currently reside in Florida- What are some of your favorite things about where you live? How does your town/city inspire you?

I live in Charlotte, North Carolina when I’m not in Sarasota, FL at Ringling. I’m also sort of from San Diego, California.. I was born over there and we visited family several times a year since I was young. I think all these places I’ve lived have had a huge impact on my work. Charlotte is my home. I know it better than anywhere I’ve been, and I’m fascinated by the southern culture that seems to be fading away quickly. North Carolina is the Blue Ridge mountains, thick cicadas in the summertime, camp songs and swim team, ice storms and Canadian Goose chasing. Sarasota is still very new to me, but it’s been long, lazy afternoons on screened in porches, Spanish moss hanging wherever you look, never ending sand bars in the bay, mangrove tunnels and cookouts. San Diego, however, has had the most impact on my life. My whole senior concentration revolved around my experiences there, which have been unforgettable. San Diego is the desert, the jungle and the ocean all in one. It’s the giant eucalyptus trees hovering over you, the adobe shack we lived in, the adventures played in tall yellow grass as a child, morning doves and mist next to a hot, hot day. Hobos by the boardwalk, sand in your hair and long, stuffy trips in the motor-home up to Yosemite and Disney Land.

Q: Which of your illustrations is your favorite so far - or if you had to choose a piece from your portfolio to represent yourself, which would it be?

The Dominos piece, I call it that but it’s real name is Life Illuminated. I love it because it’s literally my life illustrated by little objects and memories. It’s the most personal piece I’ve done in a while. It also happens to be the one they say to take out when they’re looking at my portfolio.

Q: What are you currently working on? Do you have any new and exciting projects coming up?

I’m currently working on an 8 page comic for my teacher, George Pratt, along with a book project about a place in Sarasota where I have to interview and collect enough information to create a little personal guide of the place. I’m doing it on a whole neighborhood.. which I’m not even sure is allowed, but I’m loving it so far- it has a lot of history. I’m working on getting an internship this summer and I’ll be attending ICON7 as a student volunteer in June!

Q: Is there anything else we should know about you, or your illustration work?

My dream is to re-make my world/planet idea from middle school- it'd be so weird and i'd never have time for it. i drew out all of the continents, what people looked like in each area, their language, and stories to go with them. I don’t know if I’d go so in-depth but it’d be great to revive it in some way. Reviving the middle school comics would be awesome and terrible as well. Sheesh- okay I’m done!

Check out more of Natalie's work on her website, and blog. Follow Natalie on Twitter for updates!

Daniel Bressette

2012-02-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

Here's another fantastic tribute to the incredible Ron Swanson by illustrator Daniel Bressette! Daniel is an artist based in Atlanta, GA and has a portfolio jam-packed with colorful illustrations, and maybe even a few more awesome gifs.

Parks and Rec: Ricky Linn

2012-02-20T10:48:00.000-05:00

Ricky Linn is a past Ten Pace's contributor and a general stand-up guy. He's an amazing designer / illustrator and his portfolio is jam-packed with drool inducing work. You can also purchase a copy of this print from Ricky's shop. Do it!

Beauty and the Geek?

2012-02-17T08:48:00.002-05:00

There's hope for weird bespectacled writers everywhere! In our only real-life unlikely couple piece, we give you Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. Sketch by Marloes De Vries, final by Rachel Dougherty!

Fuzzy Gnarly Love

2012-02-17T08:44:00.002-05:00

In a truly unlikely relationship that's both furry and equipped with sharp claws, we give you a pack of gremlins and, of course, Wolverine. WHATEVER GUYS, LOVE IS BLIND. Sketch by Alex Vetter, final by Ann Shen!

May/December

2012-02-17T08:33:00.002-05:00

Here's our ode to everyone's favorite creepy-age-difference couple, Harold and Maude. Sketch by Rachel Dougherty, final by Marloes De Vries!

I'm Meeeeeellllltinnngggg!

2012-02-17T08:30:00.001-05:00

Check out this delicious couple! Sketch by Ann Shen, final by Alex Vetter!

The True Life Tweety Bird

2012-02-17T08:24:00.004-05:00

Have I just seen Harry Potter too many times, or is this lady giving you a Dolores Umbridge vibe? Nevermind. Check out this fantastic old lady + canary lovefest sketched by Marissa Lanterman and taken to final by Olivia Mew!

Olivia Mew is an illustrator and designer living and working out of Montreal, Canada. Check out her website and shop!

Birds of a Feather

2012-02-17T08:09:00.003-05:00

Hey everybody! In celebration of all things saccharine and gag-worthy, Ten Paces and Draw is expressing our Valentine's Day love in our own kooky way with the theme UNLIKELY COUPLES. Let's start by this fine-feathered piece created in tandem by two Ten Paces newcomers! Sketch by Olivia Mew, final by Marissa Lanterman!

Marissa Lanterman was born and raised in the frozen tundra otherwise known as Rochester, NY. She's also a MICA alum, and, enchanted by the comparatively balmy weather in charm city, she still lives there. When not painting, Marissa has been known to bake elaborate cakes, watch old movies, apply lipstick without the aid of a hand mirror, and vainly attempt to train her cat to roll over. Check out more of Marissa's mad painting skillz at her website and blog!

Illustrated Mixtapes: Young MC and Salt-N-Pepa

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

This week is double the fun. We give you Wes Larsen's ode to Salt-N-Pepa's Shoop and Janna Morton and Michael Clayton's awesome take on Young MC's Bust a Move! Crank these as high as you can, and check out the art below!

Janna Morton

Michael Clayton

Wes Larsen

Process Post: Kyle Fewell

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

For our second official process post we have the super talented Kyle Fewell explaining step by step how he created this tasty little number. A big thanks to Kyle for taking the time to break down his working process for everyone.

Kyle: Hello there! I am flattered to be asked to explain my illustration process. I feel like I don’t really have a super straightforward way to working, but I think it works for me and hopefully I can explain it clearly. I mainly use Photoshop and a Wacom tablet, along with some ink or graphite for texture or line work occasionally. I can be pretty impatient sometimes when it comes to doing things, so I try to work fairly quickly. Having too many layers can get confusing and I hate having to figure out which layer is which and draw on the wrong layer so I also try my best to use as few layers as possible. This is a food drawing I did kind of as a Valentines Day thing. It’s a sexy hamburger.

1. First I sketch it out in Photoshop. Hurray!

2. Then I block in the base colors that I want, changing the hue and such as I go. A huge help while doing this all on one layer (or in a lot of instances) is the behind option for the brush tool. It basically does what it means, and lets you draw behind the things already on the layer. I feel like it is slightly unused/missed by a lot of people? Maybe? Anyways, it’s a neato little thing.

3. After that I clean up the edges and start to throw in some details on this sexy burger. I basically just lower the opacity and build up the color and such.

4. Once I got all the details in place and to a point to where it feels done, I then add a texture layer using a texture brush (http://chriswahlartbrushes.blogspot.com/). I just quickly draw it on there, lightly erase in some areas and then mess with the layer settings (I did overlay for this).

5. I figured some words would be neat, so I made the canvas larger and then moved the burger down a bit so the letters would fit. I wanted it to be like ketchup, so I made the letters all goopy and gross. After that I look at each area and clean up some areas and fixed some minor things that were bothering me.

6. And… now it is done! Huzzah! I don’t really think about my process too much, I just kind of draw and such, so this was interesting for me to explain it step by step. Thanks for reading, hopefully that was somehow helpful!

Check out more of Kyle's work on the web: Portfolio, Blog, Tumblr, Twitter

Happy V-Day from Ten Paces!

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Usually I don't use this blog to share personal work, but this is a fun project I've been working on for the Paper Bicycle blog for the past 2 weeks, and I thought it was worth a share. For those of you who don't know - today is Valentine's Day. In case you forgot all about it and still want to write a heartfelt letter to your friends or sweetheart I'm making it real easy for ya. Skip the trip to the drugstore, and save a few bucks - print out one of these fun animal themed Valentine's Day cards. They're sure to delight, and better yet, they're free with the perfect sweet to cheesy ratio. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! All of us at Ten Paces love you!!!

Click here to download this card.

Click here to download this card.

Click here to download this card.

Click here to download this card.

Click here to download this card.

You can visit the PB blog for a handful of additional awesome printables by other awesome illustrators. All illustrations above are by Alyssa Nassner.

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Denise Holmes

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner! Get ready for serenades, sonnets, bouquets of roses, and decadent chocolates! In honor of the lovely holiday illustrator Denise Holmes is drawing for 14 Days of Love. You can visit her blog to check out the 2 week long project, and visit her website for additional adorable work!

KA-POW!

2012-02-10T08:41:00.002-05:00

Sometimes when picking a dream career, you gotta go big or go home. Marisa Seguin went real big with her sketch of the yellow power ranger, and Natalie Andrewson took it to action-packed final. Killer!

Curl Up and Dye

2012-02-10T08:39:00.001-05:00

Krissy Diggs created this darling hairdresser piece based on Anna Santaguida's sketch.

That Belongs In a Museum!

2012-02-10T08:32:00.002-05:00

If you dig deep enough, maybe you will get to be Indiana Jones. Sketch by Natalie Andrewson, final by Marisa Seguin!

How's the Weather Up There?

2012-02-10T08:30:00.002-05:00

Some of our wishes are simpler than others. Check out this awesome piece by Fitz Fitzpatrick, based on the vertically-challenged sketch by Sarah Straub.

Floating In My Tin Can

2012-02-10T08:26:00.002-05:00

Who didn't want to be an astronaut? How many kids are wandering around their playrooms as we speak with fishbowls on their heads? How can you be sure I am not wearing a fishbowl on my head as I post these today? You can't. So enjoy this lovely outer-space romp by Sarah Straub, as imagined by Fitz Fitzpatrick!

Every Hungry Little Caterpillar

2012-02-10T08:20:00.002-05:00

This week at Ten Paces and Draw, we're taking on everybody's eight-year-old wishes with WHEN I GROW UP. But to start off, here's Anna Santaguida's take on the classic coming-of-age transformation of the caterpillar, as based on a sketch by Krissy Diggs. Fantastic!

Illustrated Mixtape: Brandy & Monica

2012-02-09T06:35:00.001-05:00

GIRL HOLD MY EARRINS. This week we have two cutthroat illustrators going head-to-head on the catfight classic THE BOY IS MINE! Illustrations provided by Marissa Lanterman and Natalie Andrewson!

Check them out while you pump the jams!

Marissa Lanterman

Natalie Andrewson

Q + A: Nathan Bulmer

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Name: Nathan Bulmer
Age: 29 
Location: Brooklyn, NY  

Q: What are some of the main influences of your work? Do you have any advice for fighting creative block?

Comics, the news, everything?

For me, whenever I am having a huge creative block I like to take a walk and look at everything around me. I feel like there is at least one good joke attached to everything and I just need to find it. So, I tend to stare at random things for a while then continue to wander while pondering what could possibly be funny about it. If it’s crappy out, I lay on my futon and look at the ceiling while pondering what knowledge my brain might contain and if I can make fun of it somehow.

Q: How and when did you first become interested in art and illustration? 

I became interested in drawing at a pretty young age. I was a big time ADD kid to the point that I would stand up and walk around the classroom because I was distracted by something on the wall. Concentration meds gave me facial twitches so I stopped taking those. Eventually I found out that as long as I was drawing I could sit at my desk and listen to what was going on and started to incorporate drawings into my class notes. So, I was basically drawing for 6+ hours a day while at school and decided that that wasn’t such a bad thing to be doing. I continued to be ADD and wanting to draw so I rode that wave through college and grad school.  

Q: What is the first thing you do when you start working? Any warm-up rituals? 

When I first sit down to draw comics I tend to draw out the panels and then sign it at the bottom. I look at it and feel like, ‘Welp, you kind of have to make something awesome now, your name is attached to it.’

My brain comes up with the best ideas when I’m not thinking directly about what I’m doing. So, I usually play a crappy game on my phone or listen to a little music to loosen up because I feel like my brain is being stimulated, but not enough that a stray thought about a joke can’t sneak its way in.

Q: Can you briefly explain your illustration process?

Unfortunately this isn’t terribly exciting. I have been doing all of my work purely with a Pentel P205 0.5mm technical pencil on acid-free computer paper. Then I drop the drawing into Photoshop and use that to darken the lines and do a little clean up. Then I use a Wacom Intous4 PTK-840 if what I’m working on needs any digital coloring. Sadly, I’ve let watercolors fall to the wayside recently. Hopefully I’ll get those back up and running some time soon.

Q: You do a ton of comics on your blog Eat More Bikes. How did that get started, and do you have any advice for others interested in web comics?

While at SVA for grad school I got serious about wanting to make comics. I worked closely with Mark Newgarden who kicked my ass (in a good way) and taught me a lot about structuring comics, creating a quality product, and creating a strong work ethic. I was also privileged to be working with and around a ton of super talented people in school, including comics folks like Scott Campbell, Brendan Leach, Josh Bayer, and Anne Emond. Seeing some of the work they were producing made me feel like I needed to bust my ass and find a good outlet for my work.

After I got out of grad school I knew I was at risk of falling out of practice and watching TV all day. I saw my friend Anna Raff working on a daily project and felt like creating a daily deadline for myself was a good way to ensure I was constantly working. At first it was just drawings and more illustration-y kind of work, but as I kept doing it the drawing aspect got pushed to the side by the comics and I haven’t looked back since.

The advice stuff is hard because I think there are tons of different things you can do and ways you can do it, and, hell, I’m still figuring it out myself! But, here are a few things that could be helpful:

-Make comics for yourself that you enjoy making. Don’t think in terms of whether something you make is going to go viral or not.

-Keep a regular update schedule. Working regularly not only helps your comics get better, but readers like something that they know they can depend on for consistent new content.

-Let people know that you’re making stuff. Hand out mini comics of your work, e-mail blogs you think would dig your comics, put your comics on the bulletin board at the local grocery store,
whatever else.

-Don’t pester anyone though and thank people, thanking people is always a good thing.

It can be a slow process to get people to take notice, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get tons of hits after doing some form of promo.

There are many many other things, but like I said, some of it is just figuring out what works best for you.

Q: What was your first illustration gig?

After I got out of high school I interned at Seattle Magazine and they had a last minute blurb that needed an illustration and gave me a shot. It was something about needing to work out the brain like a muscle, so I went with ‘brain in a sweatband going for a jog.’ I never did another illustration for them.

Q: What’s a project you’d like to work on? Is there an artist you’d like to collaborate with? 

I’ve always been interested in trying to work more with animation. I wish I had more time and knowledge to be able to animate some of my comics.

There are hundreds of artists I would love to work with. I’ve learned a lot working around other people whose stuff looks and feels nothing like mine. Right now I wouldn’t mind sitting around and doodling with Joseph Lambert; that dudes stuff constantly blows my mind. His style and techniques are incredible and in my interactions with him he is a nice humble dude, which also helps.

 Q: What has been your favorite Ten Paces swap so far? If you had to add a theme to the line-up, what would it be?

Since I’ve only participated in two so far I’m going to go outside of those and say that I really enjoyed seeing the Heavy Metal exchange. There are some amazing pieces in that one. And I am kind of a train dork, so I would say a train theme would be pretty sweet.

  Q: What are some of your favorite things to do outside of making awesome illustrations? 

Collecting records, my two main collections are old soul 45s and 90’s hip-hop twelve inch singles. When I’m not working it’s reading comics, watching movies, and spending time with my lady that usually fills up the rest of my time.

Q: What are some of your favorite things about where you live? How does Brooklyn / New York inspire you? 

New York is pretty insane. I love it because there is always something you could be doing. Usually you aren’t doing it, but knowing that you could be is comforting in some way. You see some pretty amazing things happen here too, it is constantly a study in human behavior. It’s hard not to find some sort of inspiration after a long walk.

Q: Which of your illustrations is your favorite so far - or if you had to choose a piece from your portfolio to represent yourself, which would it be? 

I think one of my favorite pieces I’ve done is a watercolored drawing I did for an art show benefitting the relief efforts after the earthquake in Japan. I based the piece off of an experience I had during a trip to Tokyo where I met a friend for beers and ice cream then we cruised around the town on her bike. The piece shows how peaceful and nice it was. It doesn’t show the part where we were stopped by the police, but that might be a story for another time or art show…

Q: What are you currently working on? Do you have any new and exciting projects coming up? 

A whole bunch of stuff I am excited about! I am going to have new comics in Suspect Device 2, the new Rabid Rabbit, and a Spanish fan zine called Migas. I’ll have art in the Pokemon: Battle Royale show (which is being put on in collaboration with Ten Paces FYI); Dustin Harbin and I are going to try and cook up something special for that. There are a couple other things in the works that will be amazing when they happen.

 Q: Is there anything else we should know about you, or your illustration work?

I met Andre 3000 in an elevator once. Everything about him was so cool it made me feel bad about myself.

Find Nathan on the web: Portfolio | Blog | Twitter

'When I Grow Up' Inspiration: Aurore Damant

2012-02-07T22:24:00.001-05:00

What kid didn't want to grow up to be a cowboy (or girl) at one point or another?! Thanks to the internet super hub that is Tumblr I was lucky enough to stumble across the work of illustrator Aurore Damant. Aurore is a Paris-based illustrator / animator / character design superstar. You can read an awesome interview with Aurore here, and check out Aurore's blog for more work.

Cosby It Up

2012-02-03T08:59:00.001-05:00

Never in my life has an ugly sweater party filled me with such unbridled joy. Absolutely fantastic.

Sketch by Krissy Diggs, final by Angela Rizza!

Stone Cold Stud

2012-02-03T08:55:00.002-05:00

Serving up some bolo swag, we have this dapper portrait by Krissy Diggs, based on a sketch by Angela Rizza. Who said ugly can't be adorable?

Grotesque

2012-02-03T08:52:00.001-05:00

Classic and grim, with everyone's least favorite vermin, we give you this lovely piece by Wylie Beckert based on a sketch by Joanna Barnum!

S-N-Double O- P, D-O-Double G-Y, D-O Double G

2012-02-03T08:44:00.003-05:00

With so much drama in the LBC it's kinda hard being Snoop D-O-Double G.

Sketch by Nathan Bulmer, final by Ana Benaroya!

Ana Benaroya is an illustrator, typographer, and designer; but above all, a decent human being. This is quite possibly her proudest accomplishment to date. When not drawing, screen-printing, or Photoshopping, Ana can be found consuming large amounts of hot sauce, usual along with a turkey sandwich of sorts. Check out more of Ana's work here!

Eye Of the Beholder

2012-02-03T08:41:00.004-05:00

Joanna Barnum added some Rococo flair to Wylie Beckert's sketch to create this fantastic piece!

Every Family's Got At Least One...

2012-02-03T08:33:00.004-05:00

It's UGLY week at Ten Paces and Draw! Let's start off with this hysterical family portrait by long-lost contributor Nathan Bulmer and newcomer Ana Benaroya! Sketch by Ana Benaroya, final by Nathan Bulmer.

Desktop Project: February

2012-02-02T13:08:00.000-05:00

It's February already, can you believe it? I just wanted to take a moment to share this month's desktop that The Fox is Black is presenting in collaboration with Ten Paces. The creation of the desktop was a joint effort by Rand Renfrow for the final piece, and Marisa Seguin for the sketch. You can download all the sizes on The Fox is Black blog!

February Mixtape: Notorious BIG

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

February already got you down? Don't despair! This month we've gathered a stellar group of illustrators to work on 90's throwback hip hop and R&B jamz for your viewing pleasure! We could think of no better to way to jazz up the dreariest month of the year. And to start things off with a bang we have two of our favorite contributors serving up work based on Mo Money Mo Problems by the Notorious BIG (and featuring P. Diddy and Mase, of course)!

So stay humble, stay low, blow like hootie...and of course check out the awesome work from Cody Griffith and Alan Dalby below!

Alan Dalby

Cody Griffith

Anne Edmond

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Maybe 'ugly' is a little harsh, but that scowl on her face is far from beautiful (yet, it is fantastic). I just stumbled across the illustrations of Anne Emond and was instantly smitten. Her artwork and comics have a sketchbook quality to them, and her linework is really great too. Check out Anne's portfolio, and blog for more work!

Will Laren

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

First off, and most importantly, I'd like to say that I love "Boo Radley" being used as a verb. That's amazing. What's also amazing are these illustrations by Will Laren. Check out his blog for more work from Will!

UGLY Inspiration: Robert Crumb

2012-01-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

How could we possibly do an ugly-themed week without starting off with R. Crumb? I'm sure you're familiar with Crumb, the king of gross, but in case you aren't...Robert Crumb is an American artist, illustrator and musician known for his subversive and satirical comics depicting all things sweaty, hairy, nasty, and overall unflattering. His strange sense of humor and biting commentary on society have set him apart and scored him much acclaim and many accolades, despite the generally unappetizing nature of his work. Check it!

For more on Crumb, check out his official site or definitely check out the 1994 film about his life! Also, for a tamer and less-nasty collection of Crumb's work, I'd totally recommend his portraits of blues, jazz, and country musicians!

SSSSsssix CoursSSSsse Meal

2012-01-27T12:49:00.002-05:00

This gorgeous and sibilant snake by Marisa Seguin was based on a sketch by Alyssa Nassner. SUPER!

Those Moths Have It Coming...

2012-01-27T12:45:00.003-05:00

Alyssa Nassner and Marisa Seguin came together to create the most tranquil carnivore portrait of all time. I can practically hear the soothing flutes....but danger is imminent, I assure you. Sketch by Marisa Seguin, final by the illustrious Miss Nassner.

You Charred the Mallow.

2012-01-27T12:44:00.001-05:00

Saddest s'more outcome ever. Sketch by Rachel Dougherty, final by Victor Melendez!

Yuk It Up, Clowns.

2012-01-27T12:42:00.001-05:00

Hysterical hyena sketch by Chelsea Holeman, gut-busting final by Rachel Dougherty.

Chupacabra!

2012-01-27T12:40:00.001-05:00

Sketch by the great Victor Melendez, slam-dunked by Chelsea Holeman!

Little Shop Of Horrors?

2012-01-27T12:37:00.001-05:00

Ferocious flora indeed! Sketch by Alan Dalby, final by Abigail Stevens!

How To Tame Your T. Rex

2012-01-27T12:35:00.001-05:00

Come one come all to CARNIVORES week! This spectacular t.rex piece was created by Alan Dalby, based on a sketch by Abi Stevens. Smashing!

Process: Julianna Brion

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

For this Wednesday instead of an interview, we've got an awesome process post by the talented Julianna Brion. She's going to cover from start to finish how she completed her recent January desktop for The Fox is Black. Julianna's work is exciting and unique - I'm happy to be able to share this behind the scenes glimpse of her process!

Hi everyone! I’m very flattered to have been asked to create a post about the process in which I work here at Ten-Paces. It’s really only recently that I feel that I’ve found a specific process that works for me. The unfortunate thing however, is I don’t really have any special tricks up my sleeve to share. I use Photoshop in the most basic way possible. Nope, no gradient maps or obscure photoshop-shortcuts here...My process is actually pretty simple. My secret is basically...spending an immense amount of time on the initial sketching stages and the pencil drawing.

So, I started out with Rand Renfrow’s amazingly fun sketch for The January desktop for The Fox is Black!

I start out by doing a rough sketch in blue to figure out placement and composition. This is the stage where I become most obsessive. The biggest tip I could give anyone is not to rush through this stage!

Julianna: After this step I sometimes use the light box to trace in pencil. I usually don’t follow my initial sketch too strictly or else I feel the drawing ends up a bit stiff. I tend to work a bit impulsively, making changes as I see fit and allowing mistakes to happen and become a part of the piece. The original sketching and drawing probably take up around half of the time when creating a piece. I’m also not afraid to start over completely. I probably drew this entire drawing twice before I was satisfied with it.

Once the piece is scanned in, I clean up the drawing a little, keeping in certain mistakes that possibly add to the drawing and taking out others that detract. Then I add some random flat colors. Photoshop is pretty much like a coloring book to me, I don’t use it to do anything fancy, although I do usually keep all my colors in separate layers. After the spot color, I selectively color in some of the lines, or erase them altogether where the drawing calls for it.

Choosing a color scheme also takes a lengthy amount of time within my process. Digital color does not come to me as naturally as when I use real paint, but I often find myself turning to it just because of time restraints. This is the point where there is a long period of staring at my computer screen, making minuscule adjustments, and experimenting until things feel somewhat right. Above are only a few of the color combinations I was working with for the desktop.

Voilà. And that is how the January desktop came to be! Thank you for reading and I hope some people will find this helpful!

A super thanks to Julianna for sharing her process for this piece. Her desktop is still available for download on The Fox is Black - so make good use of it for the next week! Keep your eyes peeled as February approaches for a desktop by Rand Renfrow!

Jon MacNair

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Another nontraditional carnivore piece for this week's inspiration. A sweet piece by Michigan illustrator (and MICA alum) Jon MacNair.

Elio House

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Although this isn't something I would necessarily eat - humans are also carnivores (well, omnivores...unless you're vegetarian I guess). Regardless, here's a recipe for deep fried smelt from the super talented Chris "Elio" Eliopoulos. Check out his website fo' mo'.

Carnivores Inspiration: Jerry Pinkney

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

As soon carnivores hit the table, I could only think of the incomparable hometown hero (he's from Germantown!) Jerry Pinkney. You might have heard about him winning the Caldecott in 2010 for his gorgeous wordless take on Aesop's Lion and The Mouse. Or you know, you might have heard about his five other Caldecott honors books, or any of the other prestigious awards that likely litter the floor of his studio like they ain't no thang. Basically, Pinkney is is a giant in the world of children's illustration. And what does he do better than stunningly rendered animals?

Check these out!

Learn more about Mr. Pinkney here and check out more of his art and books here!

Buds at Sea

2012-01-20T12:33:00.002-05:00

These wee explorers were sketched by Wylie Beckert and taken to final with adorable flair by Angie MacNeill!

Gangsta Trout?

2012-01-20T12:29:00.002-05:00

This tatted up fish was created by the ever-imaginative Wylie Beckert based on a sketch by Angie MacNeill.

Danger on the Horizon

2012-01-20T12:25:00.003-05:00

Imminent squid. Sketch by Sam Weiss, final by Sabrina Brubaker.

Hailing from the Midwest, Sabrina is an illustrator who finds inspiration in the dark, neurotic, & humorous. She is fond of horror, cold weather, junk sales, & the color black. Check out more on her website!

2012-01-20T12:25:00.001-05:00

Lady In the Water

2012-01-20T12:21:00.002-05:00

This mermaidy sketch was created by Sabrina Brubaker, and taken to final by Sam Weiss.

Love Lost at Sea

2012-01-20T12:19:00.001-05:00

Sketch by Yasmeen Ismail, final by Victor Melendez!

Tentacle Tangle

2012-01-20T12:14:00.001-05:00

A tricky squid situation sketched by Alan Dalby, taken to final by Yasmeen Ismail!

Yasmeen Ismail is a London based illustrator and animator, who has worked on a wide range of projects, but with a particular emphasis on character design and children's illustration (both hand rendered and digital). She has a love of inks, paints and watercolours, and is interested in paper craft, design, typography and collage. Yasmeen is a versatile illustrator with a great eye for colour, detail and composition. Check out more work on her website!

What's a Pirate's Favorite Kind of Socks? Arrrgyle

2012-01-20T12:10:00.002-05:00

It's Nautical week here at Ten Paces and Draw and where better to begin than with a pirate? This swashbuckling fellow was sketched by Victor Melendez and taken to final by Alan Dalby!

Nautical Inspiration: N.C. Wyeth

2012-01-18T09:12:00.002-05:00

This week at Ten Paces and Draw we have NAUTICAL art! And we'd certainly be remiss to exclude the great N.C. Wyeth. An illustration giant, immortalized for his pirates, cowboys, indians, explorers, and knights, our imaginations wouldn't be the same without Wyeth.

Check out one of his illustrations from Treasure Island below.

Bravo, Newell Convers. Bravo.

Nice Wig Janis, What's It Made Of? YOUR MOM'S CHEST HAIR.

2012-01-13T10:53:00.002-05:00

In an ode to one of the greatest teen movie characters of all time, Janis Ian, Alyssa Nassner created this super sketch that was taken to final by Danielle Kroll!

Danielle Kroll is a graphic designer and illustrator currently based out of Philadelphia (although she will always be a Jersey girl at heart)! Check out her website and blog for more great work!

There Must Be Some Toros In the Atmosphere

2012-01-13T10:51:00.001-05:00

Bringing it on again, this piece was sketched by Danielle Kroll and taken to final by the fantastic Alyssa Nassner!

Attack the Block

2012-01-13T10:48:00.001-05:00

Victor Melendez sketched this piece based on the movie Attack the Block. Creepy! Final by Paul Sargent!

Cameron

2012-01-13T10:46:00.001-05:00

Major slam dunk by Adrien Dacquel! He went to final on Rachel Dougherty's Ferris Bueller sketch to create this stellar portrait!

Oh, It's On.

2012-01-13T10:44:00.001-05:00

Adrien Dacquel created this battle-ready Bring It On sketch that Rachel Dougherty took to final.

Awkward Drive In

2012-01-13T10:39:00.003-05:00

A rather alarming take on your typical tunnel of love situation, this piece was taken to final by Abigail Shaw based on a sketch by Paul Sargent!

Abigail Shaw an illustrator working in southern Wisconsin. Aside from drawing for money, she likes fluffy kitties and collecting tiny things to put on tiny shelves. She dreams of days when I have enough free time and free space to pimp out dollhouses. Until then... here's her blog and website.

Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse Beetleguese

2012-01-13T10:31:00.004-05:00

Kicking off Teen Movies week here at Ten Paces we have Victor Melendez working off of Abigail Shaw's Beetlegeuse sketch! Gorgeous teeth on those Maitlins, huh?

January Mixtape: Tom Waits

2012-01-12T09:07:00.003-05:00

Perfect for a dreary day, we have Tom Waits' Ice Cream Man. But with a surprisingly not dreary take on it, check out fellow Philly illustrator Danielle Kroll's take on it!

See more of Danielle's super work on her website and blog!

Name That Teen Movie

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Test your teen movie skills, and identify the movies from which these screen caps come from. They're all pretty easy and most of them are from the 90's. These are some of my favorite teen movies, what are yours?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Teen Movies Week Inspiration: Drew Struzan

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

This was a piece by renowned movie poster illustrator Drew Struzand for Better Off Dead! Struzand is best known for his posters and covers for Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Back to the future, but has illustrated over 150 different posters since the 1970s. Check out more of his fantastic work here!

Mixtape Grab Bag: Fiona Apple

2012-01-06T09:48:00.003-05:00

This piece has been in storage for a while, but better late than never! Check out Wylie Beckert's fantastic take on Fiona Apple's Criminal!

What would an angel say, the devil wants to know?

January Mixtape: Bob Dylan

2012-01-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

Today we have one of our favorite returning contributors, and all-around illustration boss, Cody Griffith creating a fantastic piece based on the great Bob Dylan's Girl from the North Country. Lovely stuff, Cody!

January Mixtape: Nick Drake

2012-01-04T08:49:00.002-05:00

Holy cats it is frigid in Philly this morning! We're going to post a grab bag of mixtapes this week, shaking it up a little since we had no official swap! This one is Meera Lee Patel's gorgeous take on Nick Drake's Road. Doesn't this sound like winter?

Wrap yourself in a quilt and have a listen. Check out Meera Lee's stellar piece below!

2012-01-03T11:38:00.000-05:00

It's the beginning of January which means a new desktop for your enjoyment. Entering our fourth month collaborating with The Fox is Black allow me to present this awesome desktop by Julianna Brion (sketched by Rand Renfrow). You can download the different sizes from The Fox is Black website!

Voila!

2011-12-23T10:46:00.002-05:00

Panda presents! Sketch by Allison Revilla, final by Angie Macneill!

Angie MacNeil is an illustrator living and working in Montreal, Quebec. She cannot live without her sketchbook and black pen, Barbra Streisand, decorating blogs and warm lattes. Check out more of her fantastic work here!

It's the Thought That Counts...

2011-12-23T10:42:00.002-05:00

This unlikely gift type was sketched by Emma Bennet and taken to final by Alyssa Nassner! Who gives motor oil for christmas?

Puppies: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

2011-12-23T10:36:00.003-05:00

This is adorable. Nuff said. Sketch by Alyssa Nassner, final by Emma Bennett!

Emma Bennett is an illustrator, author, typographer, designer: a lover of life and more importantly, a lover of chocolate. Check out more of her lovely work at her website!

Stud in a Box

2011-12-23T10:33:00.001-05:00

Instant boyfriend, just add water. Sketch by Angela Rizza, final by Anna Santaguida!

As We Live a Life of Ease, Every One of Us Has All We Need

2011-12-23T10:28:00.003-05:00

A happy holiday submarine sketched by Angie Macneill and taken to final by Allison Revilla!

Allison is a graphic designer living and working in the Los Angeles area. Check out more work here!

Santa Swag

2011-12-23T10:24:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays, everyone! This week at Ten Paces and Draw we're honoring the season with the theme "Best Gift Ever"! To start us off we have this lovely piece by Angela Rizza, based on a sketch by Anna Santaguida!

Artist Wishlist

2011-12-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

Because this week's theme is "Best Gift Ever" we polled some of our awesome contributors to find out what their dream gifts are this holiday season.

Ann Shen has both of these items on her wishlist:
1. Ice Cream Lamp - Fred Flare
2. Heart Shaped Casserole Dish - Amazon

On my list (although I already own all of the books) I would love:
3. Malcolm Gladwell Box Set - Amazon

If you're doing some last minute shopping for Rachel Dougherty, she'd like this:
4. Ecote Canvas Rucksack - Urban Outfitters

Mika Nakano also has some good gift taste:
5. Color Block Drawers - Nood

Sarah Straub has this fancy item on her wishlist:
6. (not pictured) The Art of Up - Chronicle Books

What's on your wishlist?

Niv vs. Ae-Hyun

2011-12-16T02:20:00.000-05:00

Final by Niv Bavarsky, sketch by Ae-Hyun Shin.

Final by Ae-Hyun Shin, sketch by Niv Bavarsky.

Sara vs. Tyler

2011-12-16T02:15:00.002-05:00

Final by Sara Jabbari, sketch by Tyler Parker.

Final by Tyler Parker, sketch by Sara Jabbari.

Nicolet vs. Topher

2011-12-16T02:10:00.001-05:00

Final by Nicolet Schenck, sketch by Topher McDonald.

Final by Topher McDonald, sketch by Nicolet Schenck.

Meen vs. Adrien

2011-12-16T02:04:00.001-05:00

Final by Meen Choi, sketch by Adrien Dacquel

Final by Adrien Dacquel, sketch by Moon Choi.

Mary Kate vs. Lily

2011-12-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

Final by Mary Kate McDevitt, sketch by Lily Ko.

Final by Lily Ko, sketch by Mary Kate McDevitt.

Lauren vs. Kate

2011-12-16T01:54:00.000-05:00

Final by Lauren Lawler, sketch by Kate Haberer.

Final by Kate Haberer, sketch by Lauren Lawler.

Kayla vs. Danny

2011-12-16T01:50:00.002-05:00

Final by Kayla Wasil, sketch by Danny Brito.

Final by Danny Brito, sketch by Kayla Wasil.

Katherine vs. Lydia

2011-12-16T01:45:00.001-05:00

Final by Katherine Wallin, sketch by Lydia Nichols.

Final by Lydia Nichols, sketch by Katherine Wallin.

Natalie vs. Kaitlyn

2011-12-16T01:39:00.001-05:00

Final by Natalie Andrewson, Sketch by Kaitlyn O'Brien

Final by Kaitlyn O'Brien, Sketch by Natalie Andrewson

Shopping: Blessing and Curse

2011-12-15T06:00:00.029-05:00

Best day for her, worst day for him? Sketch by Erica Li, final by This Paper Ship!

A Zombie's Tender Embrace

2011-12-15T06:00:00.028-05:00

Is it the worst day ever because there's a zombie apocalypse? Or the best day ever because of how sincerely this zombie is gnawing away? You decide. Sketch by Andrew Morgan, final by Daney Rivera.

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

2011-12-15T06:00:00.027-05:00

WORST DAY EVER: FALLEN OFF SKATEBOARD INTO THE INFINITE ABYSS? Sketch by Paul Windle, final by DeAna Yarbrough.

Cup O' Slugs

2011-12-15T06:00:00.025-05:00

WORST DAY EVER: SLUGS WITH TWO SUGARS. Sketch by This Paper Ship, final by Erica Li.