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Black Box Visual Arts

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  • Tales from the Scratchboard
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Tales from the Scratchboard:

Independent self published comic book company and freelance artist. Many things to many people.


Featured posts:

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Attack!
April 12, 2017
Attack!
April 12, 2017

Robot Monster "Attack!"  8"x8" Scratchboard with digital coloring

A favorite subject for me is none other than that of Robot Monster (a.k.a. Anger Beast as I like to call him). Initially I did this as part of a artistic challenge for something that is call every year called "Inktober". I liked the image so much I went ahead and made a scratchboard piece out of it and then I added the color later. 

 

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April 12, 2017
Down by the Creek
April 12, 2017
Down by the Creek
April 12, 2017

"Down by the Creek" 8"x8" scratchboard with digital color

Down by the Creek was a follow up on a piece I had done earlier as a commission for a friend of mine who liked Bigfoot. In staying with that theme I decided to keep "the gentle giant" that I had started and go with that.

I think that this colorized version did well for me.

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April 12, 2017
Hot Under the Helmet
April 15, 2017
Hot Under the Helmet
April 15, 2017

"Hot Under the Helmet"

9"x 12" Scratchboard with digital color manipulation.

Hot Under the Helmet was a really a knee jerk reaction to some personal issues that I was experiencing at the time. Stress and frustration are a great innovators for getting things out. 

Originally a black and white illustration for a personal poster for an art show but the moment I added color people came out of the woodwork in support. 

Giclees are available. 

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April 15, 2017
Last Monster on EARTH!
April 15, 2017
Last Monster on EARTH!
April 15, 2017

"Last Monster on EARTH!"

11"x 14" Scratchboard with digital coloring

After looking at a number  of old b-movies of the 1950's and I came across this iconic character and decided to take a stab at rendering in a Jack Kirby style. 

Originally a black and white piece I felt that color would help bring forth a look that I hoped would- it did.

Giclees are available.

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April 15, 2017
Voyage
April 15, 2017
Voyage
April 15, 2017

"Voyage"

8"x 8" digital color of a scratchboard original

Voyage is a color rendition of the larger space commission. I was hoping that the color aspect would just accentuate the black and white scratchboard.

The color did exactly that.

Giclees are available

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April 15, 2017
Down With the Weirdness
April 20, 2017
Down With the Weirdness
April 20, 2017

"Down With the Weirdness"

8"x 8" scratchboard with digital color underlay

Originally based upon a larger version 16"x 20" piece of the same name. 

The mad scientist has always been a favorite of mine and I thought this would be a great rendition to the BIG 500 show here in Portland OR. 

It was.

 

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April 20, 2017
Green Depth
June 17, 2017
Green Depth
June 17, 2017

"Green Depth"

8"x 8" Airbrush and Clayboard

Another image of Richard Parker but with a monochromatic image with a green giving it a feeling of stagnation.

 

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June 17, 2017
Richard Parker and Friend
June 17, 2017
Richard Parker and Friend
June 17, 2017

"Richard Parker and Friend"

8"x 8" scratchboard with digital underlay.

This was the result of working on so many pieces for a Richard Parker show I did this as a introduction to the show on my Show Statement. 

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June 17, 2017
"The Creature from the Black Lagoon"
September 21, 2017
"The Creature from the Black Lagoon"
September 21, 2017

8"x 8" scratchboard

In all my works there is a theme of "alien-ness" that feeling that you are a stranger in a  strange land and no one understands you. As a artist for so long the creature exemplifies this as he swims back into the depths.

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September 21, 2017
"Captain America"
September 21, 2017
"Captain America"
September 21, 2017

 

9"x 12" Scratchboard with color Pitt Pen Marker

Commission

Captain America was a commission that came in at the end of the year. I hadn't drawn or rendered a classic comic book hero in years except for small fan scratchboard pieces I had done for small art shows.

I been a fan of Captain America for decades and doing this was fun. Adding color was a more interesting story because before then all the piece I had done for any of my of my artwork in color was digital color manipulation for prints.

So adding color to this was a big deal.

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September 21, 2017

A New Blog, A New Art Show (in the works)

July 04, 2021 in Artistic Style, Illustrative Design, Northwest Art, Scratchboard Illustration, Social Commentary, Solo Art Shows
A New Blog, A New Art Show (in the works)

"Boiler Plate hitting the thermal limits of a positronic overload of data due to visual input"

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Tags: blogs, scratchboard, PDX Art, Parody
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All right, can you hear me?

June 20, 2021 in Artistic Style, Illustrative Design, Inspiration, Portland OR Art, Real Life, Science Fantasy, Scratchboard Illustration
All right, can you hear me?

I’m at constant war with myself “How far is too far Al?” Am I gonna step on somebody’s fe fee’s? I hope so.

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Tags: blog, Real Life of Artists, creativity, scratchboard, illustration
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Truth be Told- artists get bored

June 07, 2021 in Illustrative Design, Inspiration, Real Life, Portland OR Art, Social Commentary
Truth be Told- artists get bored

“Anyway, the challenge I have for myself is a new project loosely titled "The Parody Project".

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Tags: blog, Real Life of Artists, creativity, Comic Illustrators
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Now onto the end of the Laughing Corpse?

May 31, 2021 in Artistic Heroes, Illustrative Design, Independent Comix, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Scratchboard Illustration
Now onto the end of the Laughing Corpse?

“Now onto the end of the Laughing Corpse?”

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Tags: Real Life of Artists, scratchboard, Science Fiction, blogs
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The COVID Collection

May 23, 2021 in Artistic Style, Illustrative Design, Inspiration, Real Life, Social Commentary
The COVID Collection

“So there is a large group of books to get through and though I have been able to get through most of the art books the written ones are taking their sweet ol' time.”

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Tags: Real Life of Artists, Artistic Inspiration, Collections, Books
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What about that Podcasting?

May 10, 2021 in Artistic Style, Illustrative Design, Inspiration, Portland OR Art, Real Life, Science, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Scratchboard Illustration, Social Commentary
What about that Podcasting?

“I am looking forward to the new way of promoting my work.”

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Tags: Podcasting, Ideas, illustration, Comic Illustrators, scratchboard, Struggles, creativity
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Once again My friends, Inspiration

May 02, 2021 in Artistic Style, Illustrative Design, Inspiration, Real Life, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Social Commentary, Artistic Heroes
Once again My friends, Inspiration

“If you’re really into something it takes on a magic like nothing else and that’s what made Byrne.”

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Tags: Ideas, creativity, Artistic Inspiration
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The Art Collection Grows

April 25, 2021 in Artistic Style, Inspiration, Real Life, Illustrative Design, Social Commentary
The Art Collection Grows

“I am getting better about that now as I work on things but the mood and emotion I am always going to get caught up in.”

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Tags: Real Life of Artists, Art Style, Artistic Inspiration
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Why Comics are fun to work on - PART 2

April 12, 2021 in Artistic Style, Inspiration, Portland OR Art, Real Life, Social Commentary
Why Comics are fun to work on - PART 2

“the only thing that drives me is "what can I create today?"“

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Tags: blogs, Real Life of Artists, creativity
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Why are Comic Book Characters fun to work on?

April 01, 2021 in Artistic Style, Independent Comix, Inspiration, Portland OR Art, Science Fiction, Science Fantasy, Scratchboard Illustration, Social Commentary
Why are Comic Book Characters fun to work on?

Corpse Cop Cover for issue 4, “Death Walks the Stars”. A work in progress from black and white rough illustration to transfer page to scratchboard. It’s a process.

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Tags: blogs, creativity, Artistic Inspiration, Comic Characters
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Corpse Cop 4: Death Walks the Stars.

March 23, 2021 in Artistic Style, Independent Comix, Portland OR Art, Northwest Art, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction
Corpse Cop 4: Death Walks the Stars.

"He kills other zombies because they cut into his food supply."

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Tags: independent comix, illustration, scratchboard, Comic Characters
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INSPIRATION x 3 =

March 14, 2021 in Artistic Style, Inspiration, Northwest Art, Real Life, Science Fantasy, Social Commentary
INSPIRATION x 3 =

“His science fiction stuff really caught my attention but it was always flavored with horror.”

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Tags: Art Style, Artistic Inspiration, Real Life of Artists, creativity, Comic Illustrators
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The Style Round

March 08, 2021 in Real Life, Science Fantasy, Social Commentary, Artistic Style
The Style Round

“There is nothing soft about these men.”

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Tags: Style, Blogs, Real Life of Artists, Frank Frazetta, Art Style
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Next on the List

February 28, 2021 in Inspiration, Real Life, Science, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction
Next on the List

“That dynamic effect of black and white had me looking for his artwork”

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Tags: Al Williamson, Comic Illustrators, Blogs, Ideas, illustration
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There are Freezes and then there Freezes

February 21, 2021 in Independent Comix, Northwest Art, Real Life, Science Fantasy, Solo Art Shows
There are Freezes and then there Freezes

“And I am always dabbling into something new.”

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Tags: Blogs, Real Life of Artists, New Work
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Those Whom Inspire

February 07, 2021 in Real Life, Social Commentary, Inspiration
Those Whom Inspire

One artist that inspires me to be a better illustrator - the work of Wally Wood.

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Tags: blogs, Ideas, illustration, creativity, Real Life of Artists, Artistic Inspiration
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STYLE AND INSPIRATION

February 01, 2021 in Real Life, Science, Independent Comix, Northwest Art, Science Fantasy, Social Commentary
 STYLE AND INSPIRATION

…And do you know what that question is? “Where do you come with your ideas?”…

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Tags: blogs, Real Life of Artists, creativity
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The Darkside of Creativity

January 27, 2021 in Independent Comix, Northwest Art, Real Life, Social Commentary, Science, Science Fiction, Science Fantasy
The Darkside of Creativity

“Does a person’s creativity have a “Darkside”? I know saying that out loud sounds silly. But it doesn't invalidate the question any less.”

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Tags: blogs, Real Life of Artists, creativity
1 Comment

Far Out of Left Field

January 21, 2021 in Real Life, Independent Comix
Far Out of Left Field

“The great unseen barrier.” Always referenced but never seen - only felt.” A real rough thumbnail of something out of left field.

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Tags: blogs, Struggles, Ideas
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So when is too much too much?

January 13, 2021 in Deepsea Divers, Northwest Art, Portland OR Art, Scratchboard Illustration, Real Life
So when is too much too much?

“When is too much too much?”

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Tags: blogs, scratchboard, wordless graphic novels
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Commissions - Original Scratchboards:

8”x8” $100.00

9”x12” $200.00

12”x16” $400.00

email: blackboxvisualarts@gmail.com
cell:
(541) 870-5267