Pretty excited to make this announcement! As someone who typically has their head down over the drawing table, I’m always excited and somewhat surprised when I find such incredible progress made on the publishing and marketing side of things. Thanks to Kristopher White and the awesome folks at 215 Ink for making this happen.
In case you haven’t seen it on the Father Robot website, here’s a preview of the line work from issue #2. Enjoy!
Here’s the end-result of my custom remake of an old Nancy Drew cover. I didn’t try to replicate the illustration skills of those talented cover artists before me, but tried to put a new spin on an old concept and do it in my style. I’m pretty happy with the result. Although, I do wish the composition was a little bit closer to the initial sketch/study.
As you can probably tell that, after finishing it, I traveled back in time and left it in a public library, just so it would get that worn-in, well-loved, dog-earred look to it. Sweet.
This spacesuit may seem familiar to you. It’s being revisited here as a post for a couple of reasons. A) I took my Copic markers to the line work to may it pop and dazzle with technicolor. And secondly (see what I did there), I’ve become preoccupied with the idea that all my concept drawings of characters are facing the same direction, so I flipped him.
Also, I figured folks might want the chance to follow my artistic inclinations on Facebook as well as the ever-so-wonderful WordPress. So, I’ve started a Facebook page that will have new and exciting illustrated developments. If you’re interested enough to check out that manifestation of Sam Garland Illustrations in addition to this blog, then you’ll be happy to know I plan on putting up some work that is exclusive just to that website.
In the future (or alternative-timeline present), the Egyptian space program will use armored suits that look like this.
Here’s a sketch for a commission I did last week. The commission was for a new cover to an old book, one of the Nancy Drew mysteries from the 40’s. I’ve never read any of those books, but I think the client valued that, and wanted meet to produce something similar to the old covers that had come before, in my style, though.
It was an interesting project. I felt challenged by the genre, as I normally work in the world of sci-fi or fantasy, and I suddenly found myself trying to clearly portray hairdos from a log-ego era. Also, I found myself in the situation where the first-pass sketch, shown here, kind of nailed the composition I was going for, but didn’t translate exactly to the final piece, which I might put up at a later date.
Ultimately, it was a lot of fun, I I put far more time and effort into the end product than I meant to, just because I was enjoying myself.
There’s some new stuff coming up just over the horizon.
First up, after finding a surplus of sheets of vellum from my ol’ school days that I had forgotten about, I started going through my sketchbook and finding some promising rough pencils sketches to “redraw”. I’ve started laying the vellum over those sketches and tracing out what I see (sometimes quite vague) with technical pens. The results have been really satisfying. They’re all clean and inked and one of a kind! Here’s one I did today while eating a sandwich that wasn’t mine:
I’ve discovered that I really like drawing nerdy, neckless characters. They’re fun and hard to mess up. This guy looks like he hates it when his job requires him to leave his lab, especially to go into horrible, deadly, hostile environments.
Second, there’s a big announcement this week about the future of Father Robot. Since I don’t want to scoop my own comic’s press, I’ll not give nay big hints, but please check back in soon for some great new developments!
While at APE last weekend, I was able to pick up a couple of lucrative commissions. A couple of folks just wanted quick sketches, though, and this is one of them.
“Batman with a bloody nose, smoking a cigar” was the request, and I tried my darnedest to deliver. It was a pretty fun idea, actually. Sarah was able to snap a quick photo of the sketch before it was borne away by its new owner. The hardest thing about commissions is letting go…
Today saw another great day at Alternative Press Expo. Thanks to everyone who came by the table. I had a fantastic time meeting new folks and reuniting with fans. I hope everyone got as much cools stuff as I did (my favorite is the evil, stuffed bunny I got my girlfriend… yes, its face comes off) and are reading some great new comics.
As another great year at APE ends, I thought everyone might like to enjoy this updated group shot of all the Father Robot character from issue 1.
Alternative Press Expo is going great. I managed to take in more commissions than ever before, and sold a dozen comics, some artwork, and prints as well. The best part, though, has been the crowd. More interested con-goers and friendly peers than heckling fanboys. Yay!
Here’s one of the sketches I did at the table today. I wanted to do something a little different than I have before. So, I thought I’d give my spaceman a unibrow. Shazam!
Tomorrow another fun weekend at APE begins! Come by Table 907 to see Sam Garland Illustrations, including some new artwork created exclusively for this convention.
In the meantime, since the beginning of civilization, there’s been some kind of mysterious connection between the ancient Egyptians and the cosmos. Did aliens help build the pyramids? Was Ra actually a being from another planet? And, of course, just what would Egyptian space suits look like?
Now we finally have the answer to one of those questions. Check out the bitchin’ space suit below (sans helmet) based on ancient Egyptian deco.
Just found this one on someone else’s blog:
http://tomfranckart.wordpress.com/theme-sketchbook/
Which is awesome, because usually when I do commissions I never see them again. So yay!
Thanks, Tom, for the commission, letting me part of your incredible project, and for posting these drawings.
Also, everyone going to APE (http://www.comic-con.org/ape) this weekend should stop by table 907 more illustrated awesomeness…
samgarlandillustrations 
