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Portland Opera, The Best!

| Aaron McConnell

I participated in a unique event put together by the Portland Opera www.portlandopera.org on Sept. 2oth.  Local cartoonists were invited to draw during the rehearsal of Pagliacci and Carmina Burana.  What an experience!  Sometimes the life of the cartoonist is the good life.  I did some sketches and a two page comic recollection of the evening.  I didn’t get a chance to give Carmina Burana any attention in my comic pages since we had just a couple days to put our drawings together, but hopefully the rehearsal sketches give you some idea (although I mainly sketched the performers who were standing still … the elegance of  the dancers will make you swoon and they move much faster than my pen!)

Maryhill Museum Comic Show Announcement

| Aaron McConnell

 

I posted this image the other day, but now it has some color on it.  The Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, WA ran a limited edition of giclee prints that will be available at the opening reception of their comic book art show.  It’s going to be a great show.  I love the opportunity to see original work by comic artists; it’s like a behind the scenes glimpse of work I’ve experienced only in the printed form.  Always enlightening!  The reception is September 18th!  Mark it on your calendar!  Plan to attend?  Let me know by posting a message here or sending me an email within the next 2 days and I’ll get you some free tickets.  No joke!

Here’s a link to the Maryhill website and show announcement:  http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/comics.html

Grit!

| Aaron McConnell

Here’s a recent commission of Arthur and Mordred in the last days day? of Camelot.  I discovered a plethora of really marvelous illustration done for Arthur and Pals.  Arthur Rackham, for one, depicted this very scene, although not quite as gratuitous and over-the-top in its depiction so maybe I get some points for that?  Or maybe I get slapped.  Does anyone know if this scene was drawn in Mad Magazine at some point?  Dad?  Below are the pencils for those interested.

Strange and Stranger

| Aaron McConnell

Here’s something.  A sketch of Dr. Strange after the unique visionary Steve Ditko.  I’ve depicted Strange using his powers over the mists of deep space that exist within shadows, dontchaknow? 

The following sketches are based on characters that my son created.  He drew a couple pages of comics involving these characters.  My son has a wonderful  imagination and a such natural skill.  You can get a little taste of his handiwork at his blog http://acmebytes.blogspot.com and he loves to receive comments on his artwork.

Maryhill Print Inks

| Aaron McConnell

Here’s an image to be included in the Maryhill Museum exhibition of original comic art coming this September.  I’ll be coloring this soon, but I promised my dad I would upload the inks.  Here you are, Dad! 🙂

I’m not making this up

| Aaron McConnell

This is a scene from Anne Steelyard: The Garden of Emptiness, the 2nd of 3 Anne Steelyard volumes published by Penny Farthing Press.  I did assistant work  in Vol. 2 for the penciller Ron Randall, and I’m currently helping him with the final installment.  The writer Barbara Hambly receives the credit for this inspired scene of Anne being attacked by the Demon Mouth of her father!  And you thought they didn’t make comics like this anymore;)   This is seduction of the innocent at its finest.  Pick up this book to find out the bizarre circumstances surrounding this alarming image.

And I couldn’t resist adding some color …

Jonah Hex

| Aaron McConnell

Here’s a little fan art for the Jonah Hex comic.  I’m telling myself it’s OK to draw established comic book characters these days.  If R. Crumb can draw God, I think I can draw a superhero or two;)  BTW,  I saw the Genesis show at the Portland Art Museum this weekend.  Made me want to start crosshatching in the sketchbook, until I was actually doing it, then I thought, “Crumb really is nuts!”  Evidence:

General Pickett

| Aaron McConnell

Pickett charging.  Not sure if he led the charge or simply ordered the charge, but he may not have been riding a mustang either.  Feel free to correct the illustrator’s inaccuracies in the comment thread.