a mirror image... : general

A Hive Full of Buzzing Bees

Jason Embury — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:54:00 GMT

at least that’s what it’s felt like here the last few months. we’ve been so busy and in a lot of ways so stressed, that it’s felt like we’ve been buzzing around inside a huge bee hive trying to keep up with all the other worker bees and keep making enough honey to keep the hive going. Maybe a terrible analogy there but it’s all I got this morning.

Football is finally over, we’ve been done for a week now. I’m glad to be done myself with all the coaching. It was a blast, but it was time consuming as well. My son played his heart out this year, made some great progress at QB I think if I look at things objectively, and his team finished in second place in the league. We lost the game last week which would have made the kids league champions, but it’s been a long year, some of our kids were starting to show the wear and tear of a long year, and we played against a team that decided they’d try to put all 11 defensive players up within 2 yards of the line of scrimmage. So we did well I think. My son learned a lot about himself, his abilities and his weaknesses and strengths, which is what sports is supposed to teach you. So in that regard I think it was a successful season.

My daughter finished in 2nd place in her conference for volleyball this year as well, and it was nice to get to some of her games this year and see her play that sport. I wasn’t very familiar with it before, but I think I almost understand all the rules now. She’s driving me crazy with how hard things are in middle school, and I really DON’T envy her having to go through all of that stuff right now. I’ve been there before, and there’s a reason why it’s better to look back on those times and enjoy the things you remember as being fun, and to forget all the other crap that goes with going through middle school and high school Still, I’m proud of the way she’s handling herself and I’m sure that we’re not screwing things up TOO badly with her.

work has been crazy. Mostly in ways that aren’t good. I’ve been extremely busy at times, which doesn’t bother me quite so much as times where I don’t have work to do. There was a stretch where things were falling through on me left and right, project after project that never got off the ground. While things seem to be looking up lately, and I have plenty of work now things still haven’t really settled down much. It’s one thing to have a ton of work, but to have a ton of work and to try and keep working while you’re owed money is not a good situation to be in. I thought I had left all of that behind me earlier this year after I had to wait for months to get paid from another client, but sadly it’s happening to me again right now. It’s November and I’m waiting on money for work I did in August. NOT the least stressful thing in the world. Been making an attempt to supplement our income here by picking up a TON of little jobs that pay on 50/50 terms, but I can only get so much done in a day here. So we decided to open up our own ebay store, and while most of the stuff on there is basically us cleaning out my studio and our basement with things we don’t need, or use or that are just taking up space, it’s been a mild success so far. I’m going to start offering custom artwork on there, and yes, there will be things that are not actually related to comic books shortly as well. I am a real artist as well, and I have plenty of ideas for things to sell.

Which leads into my to do list today, hopefully I can accomplish everything on here today (since I’ve already done the first 2 I’m making good progress)

-set up the Coldplay and Radiohead marathon in iTunes for background music today
-blog and organize my list of things to do
-VOTE
-make another pot of coffee
-color 2 pages or the equivalent
-work on sketch cards for ebay store
-kiss my wife and tell her how much I love her
-bug the people that owe me money to find a way to pay up soon
-color studies for a WoW character painting I’m working on for a client

So I’m off to start my day. If you do nothing else with YOUR day besides work and read blogs, make sure you get your butt out there and vote for change today! This country NEEDS to start moving in a new direction and we need to make sure that we’re at least voting.

The Yin and Yang of Life

Jason Embury — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:54:00 GMT

The last week has been rather rough. However nothing to the point of making life itself seem a terrible thing. We all experience stress and hardship from time to time. I've frankly had much worse things happen in my life, and while I have been a bit stressed lately, it hasn't been the sort of thing to make me lose sleep really. So I've been thinking on this lately, doing some meditation, and it reminded me of an ancient chinese story that goes something like this.

There was once a farmer who owned a horse. One night he forgot to close the door to his barn at the end of a long day and his horse escaped. His neighbor came over and said, "what misfortune, you've lost your only horse!" The farmer had no response to this. Two days later, his horse returned to the barn and another horse followed it home as well. The farmer was very happy, but didn't shout or proclaim his joy. The neighbor came over again later and said, "what amazing fortune you have! You've not only gotten your horse back, but you've gained another horse." The farmer smiled but was silent yet again. A few months later, the new horse gave birth to a foal and again, the farmer was quietly happy. The farmers had a son who wanted to train this new horse, however shortly after it was born the boy broke his leg. The neighbor visits again and proclaims, "what misfortune this new horse has brought to your family." The farmer is yet again quiet. Shortly after this, the country ends up going to war. The generals from the army traverse the countryside looking for infantry to fill their ranks. All of the young sons from the surrounding farms and countryside were drafted into the war, except for the farmers son who had just broken his leg. Later on their neighbor returns yet again, and says, "What great fortune you have to be injured and not have to go to war!"

Such a great little story that sums up life, business, and EXISTENCE, perfectly. From every bad situation, there is good to be born from it. From every act of good there is bad to be found somewhere. The trick to realize that good and evil, will balance themselves out given time. That you cannot have fortune without misfortune, that in order to be brave you must be afraid. Everything happens for a reason, and if you take both the good and bad into yourself in the same manner, you'll remain balanced and centered.

Alright, time to get around here, get some more coffee, turn on some good music and start painting/coloring.

As the world turns

Jason Embury — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:07:00 GMT

this week has felt almost like a soap opera in some ways. today, took the wife into the ER this morning because she was slumped at her desk crying with a headache when I got back from dropping the kids off at school. Was not a good thing to witness. She barely ever cries, so I knew it was pretty bad. After much diagnosis and stuff there, they finally hooked her up to an IV and got some pain medication into her to help out. she SAYS she’s doing much better, she ran my son up to guitar practice for a half hour today. We’ll see. I just got dinner going here, and I have 3 pages to color today. 11 pages done at the end of today, half a book in 3 days. I do indeed love this new Cintiq because I think it really IS making me faster and better.

In related drama, mortgage is due next week, and medical bills and all SORTS of other stuff the week after that, and I’m HOPING HARD that my next check will be here before then. In fact, I pretty much need my next check to come about a week after this one gets here. I definitely need to get some more funds in here before the 10th of March, or I just won’t be able to go to Wizard World LA on the 13th. It seems like a long way off, but I’m going to be hunkered down here for at least 3 weeks working on 2 books that are both due next month. So before I know it, it’s going to be the 2nd week of March I think. ugh.

I’ve put the kids on notice today as well, on the way back from picking them up from school. ANY sort of crap behavior, arguing, fighting, bickering, complaining, that they’ve been doing for the last few days, will NOT be tolerated the rest of the week. Usually they get a warning and a chance to correct whatever they’re doing. Not right now, I’m just too stressed to deal. So they’ve been told that ANYTHING that they know they shouldn’t be doing, is landing them in their bedrooms grounded for a week. I don’t have time or patience anymore this week to deal with it. So we’ll see how much fun THAT is the next couple days. K, fast typing aside, I’ve spent almost 5 minutes on this post, time to find my energy pack and get to work!

Impromptu studio tour!

Jason Embury — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:42:00 GMT

so yesterday I had a REAL sore back, still sore today, but I realized it was likely a combination of having slept on it wrong the previous night, and also the height at which I was working with my new Cintiq. So after getting some things done, I HAD to rearrange my entire studio so I could work on the Cintiq in a more comfortable way. Pretty much 90% of my work day is spent coloring or painting digitally now, and I would be in for some serious health problems if I hadn't gotten this Cintiq and been able to get it set up so that it's as close as possible to working traditionally. Having it on my drawing table is a great idea of my wife's, and I have to say, so far so good. It's like I'm working on a regular piece of paper almost it's so comfortable. Also, finally got around to stealing my buddy DJ's idea of wallpapering his wall with artwork. Mine is mostly fantasy oil paintings and LOTS of color too. So without further ado, here's an impromptu studio tour.

First up the Nap Room (or movie room, depending on the time of day) The couch for power naps and thinking, and the chair for sketching and writing and stuff.

The entryway to the studio,

Computer area, complete with notepad for writing down ideas and stuff of course, art ref books, graphic novels, and my Imagine FX magazines.

The new Cintiq setup, much more comfortable, the beginning of the wall of art as wallpaper, some traditional tools, a Pantone flip book for color scheming, various supplies, comics and books, and of course my Cintiq.

Talking to Bob a few weeks ago about our mutual obsession with Batman, so these pics are for him. I had to split up the mini-shrine when I rearranged things, so first, the batman shelf, limited edition metal sculpture, 42 of 1200, various action figures, including the limited edition Rise of Sin Ztu videogame Batman (or however you spell that name),

Limited edition, gold trimmed collector plates, my 3 legged lucky frog, picture of my beautiful wife, my son dressed up as Batman for Halloween when he was 2, etc......

Hero By Night hardcover trade, limited edition with silver foil flames instead of blue, signed by CEO of Platinum Studios <a href="http://www.scottrosenbergblog.com/">Scott Rosenberg</a> (thanks for mailing that out to me Scott :D ) Displayed in a wonderful silver framed shadow box with glass case my wife got me for Xmas (thanks honey)

The ever growing wall of HBN comics. From right to left, the original HBN mini-series, including all issue 1 variants, issue 1 of the new ongoing series (soon to be joined by issue 2 once Fed Ex comes today or tomorrow), a Tiki-God clock which I refuse to set at the proper time of day, because I really could care less about what time it is and I doubt those Tiki-Gods care either, a few toys and HBN trades.

hope you enjoyed this short little visual tour. I'm off to get more coffee and get to coloring now! :D

Playing with words and such, Gunplay.

Jason Embury — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:37:00 GMT

I've been lucky enough to be get some advance looks at some of the artwork for last years Comic Book Challenge winning comic, Gunplay from creator Jorge Vega recently. I have to say, from what I've seen the book is coming along beautifully, and is creating it's own unique look to go along with such a great story concept as well. I really enjoy Nei Ruffino's coloring work as well, and now that she is onboard to help bring the artwork to life I think it's going to turn out being an absolutely gorgeous product when it goes to print soon. Jorge and the gang will also be in LA with DJ Coffman and myself doing signings at the Platinum Studios Booth in March at Wizard World. Pretty sure we'll be hanging around the booth chatting and sketching and whatnot all weekend as well, so make it a point to stop out and say hi. You can still preorder Gunplay from your local comic shop, <a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=248550&b=44882&m=8908&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Etfaw%2Ecom%2FProfile%2FGunplay%2DGN%5F%5F%5F316314">or online right now as well</a>.

Why doesn't Apple make a more universal video port?

Jason Embury — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:58:00 GMT

For the first time in 8 years, I was upset that I owned a Mac yesterday. After talking with Apple support on the phone, talking with the people at Wacom, chatting online with an Apple tech, I was assured my iMac G5, albeit an "OLD" mac, purchases a whopping 2 1/2 years ago, would work with the new Cintiq I was getting. Well it DOES work, but only after I purchase a $19 MINI-VGA to VGA adapter cord to make it work. Now, this in itself is fine I guess. However I wanted to just plug it in and have it work yesterday, and I could have if I had owned a PC. So not having the cord, and not having anyone TELL me I needed said adapter cord, I made a trip to the Apple store (thankfully one opened in the last year within 20 miles) Rush hour traffic time of day mind you, 45 minutes later I walk in, and after waiting to get some help I was informed they had just sold their LAST one a half hour previous. So yeah, I was frustrated. Went to Best Buy, where I purchased the only thing that LOOKED like what I needed, that they didn't have at the Apple store, only to get home and learn THAT didn't work. 3 hours of my night gone, STILL no cord, I had to order what I needed online (which if someone at Apple or Wacom would have told me in the previous weeks I've spent looking into this whole situation I would have bought when I got the Cintiq so it would have been here at the same time) I was also reminded harshly of how fast technology advances, and how something bought just over 2 years ago, is already outdated in some ways as everything has moved to digital video on newer models of the same computer in that time frame.

The lesson I'm learning, is that I should indeed just put in the extra man hours on my part, do my OWN research, find what I need, and take care of it myself. No phone calls to support techs at apple, no help from instore support people that have never even HEARD of something like a Wacom Cintiq, and generally just put my faith in myself, because I very rarely let myself down. I'm sounding arrogant, but at the same time, it was ME who figured out what I ended up needing in the long, and along the way 4 other people, employed by the companies I have spent over 4 thousand dollars with, failed me. Yesterday was frustrating. Now I'm just waiting until Thursday when the part I ordered arrives. Until then, it's just back to basics here, with a nice 2 thousand dollar, 20lb paper weight on my desk, staring at me all day.

Hero By Night #1 ongoing review at The Pullbox.

Jason Embury — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:09:00 GMT

Great review up from the guys over at The Pullbox on Heroestv.com,

http://heroestv.com/blog/strongbadwi/2008/01/23/hero-by-night-1-new-on-going-series/

"I suggest that fanboys cut the fat they’ve been choking down out of their comic budgets (*cough* Spider-Man *cough-cough* Superman) and add in some nutrition in the form of Hero by Night." I might just have to agree with him on this point, although I'm biased of course.

Stop stalling, make a name for yourself.

Jason Embury — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:38:00 GMT

going to attempt to find that artistic zone again today. there's a lot of stuff going on this week here, kids are home from school for a few days I think, and have a couple half days as well. I'm on the verge of having that "feeling" that you get sometimes as an artist, where you think you're about to get a LOT of good work done. It either ends up happening exactly as you're feeling, or you get next to nothing done. I'm going to play the confident card though, and we'll wait and see what the dealer ends up having. If things end up settling down here this week, instead of having to wait until next week to do so....I might be able to find that elusive switch that seemed to be in the on position the entire month of December, and which I've been looking for the last couple weeks here. wish me luck.

in somewhat related news, I have to get a bunch of stuff done here in the next month and a half, because Wizard World LA is coming up here in mid-March. You can check out more about the show and get tickets online right now, Wizard World LA 2008 Also, they've mistakenly put me down as the artist on Hero By Night, instead of the colorist, I'm sure that'll get fixed soon though :D You can also check out what times I'll be signing that weekend for Hero By Night and for the KISS comics, Platinum Studios Signing Schedule.

Mondays seem to be lethargic by nature I think. Which doesn't really give me and excuse, other than maybe I haven't had quite enough coffee yet.

clearing my head

Jason Embury — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:04:00 GMT

haven't slept good in over a week here. My mind is just racing with thoughts at night now. From work to family things to creative things...it's nuts. I've never had this problem before really either. I can totally understand why they make sleep aid medicines now :D

It's Friday. Which means that most people are rejoicing at the end of another week. Not me. Tomorrow will be an even busier day, and likely a day that I don't do ANY work, just family stuff. Sunday I plan on working though a few hours towards the afternoon/evening time.

Aggravated the side of my hip/back/BUTT that bugged me for a few weeks there, again last Saturday. It was just starting to come around and feel a LOT better. So last night I did some "self diagnosis" with the aid of some medical sites and some threads on forums where other artists have had similar problems. So now when I eventually DO end up making it to the doctor, we're going to talk about RSI (repetitive stress injuries) because it seems that's pretty much exactly what's wrong with me. I'm right handed, so my right arm/wrist/shoulder/neck area gets sore from the same motions everyday, and the opposing tendons and muscles in the lower left side of my body feel the same stress (if not more) There was even one horror story from a guy who used to work at Industrial Light and Magic, and had this weird sort of CONTORTED tendon thing happen in his forearm and stuff from constricting his drawing motion to a little wacom tablet. Which brings me to my next point, I've been thinking, saving, dreaming, hoping, researching, getting a new Wacom Cintiq for a while now, in part to make me even more productive, but also in LARGE part so that I can start drawing/coloring/painting, normally again, and using my entire arm and stuff and not just little movements from my wrist. Today isn't a great day for pain really, last night I stopped working at dinner after a mediocre day because it hurt so much. Today isn't as bad as last night, but it's only 10am too :D

Also, I've been looking around the net for pictures of studios/people or companies that have a Cintiq work environment, so I can get an idea as for the best set up for my studio here. So if any of you out there reading this own or use a Cintiq, and have pictures of your work environment, give me a shout will ya? :) Back to the grind.

not as cranky or as tired

Jason Embury — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:05:00 GMT

thankfully. a little under 5 weeks, 55 pages of colors, 11 pages of digital inks to do. Will be done with the Hotshot and Mighty Girl graphic novel at the end of that time which is turning out really nice I think. Been taking some great photos lately of sunsets, and cloud formations in the yard and the field across the street here. Actually most of the skies in the second issue of Hero By Night 2 are my own snapshots from around the yard here, if they’re not custom brushes I’ve made from pictures I took over the summer. Kind of neat putting other things like photographs you’ve taken into your own work. Been using lots of pictures as textures and playing around with displacement maps and stuff to add texture to things like walls and buildings and whatnot as well. K, off to get some incense, put on the headphones and get cracking here tonight.

Hero By Night on Facebook!

Jason Embury — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:54:00 GMT

if you've got a Facebook account, you can join other fans of Hero By Night over there by adding the HBN facebook page, just click the link and BAM! instant internet teleportation to your favorite online superheros corner of facebook!

Teleport to HBN's facebook page now!!!

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Now playing: New Order - Let's Go (Nothing for Me)

Hero By Night 3D avatars for video chat!

Jason Embury — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:47:00 GMT

pretty freaking cool stuff right here, my blogs been down for a couple hours, but this is worth watching!

HBN 3D avatar pack Youtube video!

you can download the software free at http://fix8.com/platinumstudios , and HBN avatar pack is on sale right now for only 2 bucks or something like that.

Woke up thinking I was the Joker!

Jason Embury — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:53:00 GMT

woke up laughing out LOUD this morning. Forget it was only about quarter after 9 and WAY too early for me, I'm dragging now. But what does my wife do? Comes into the bedroom with a camera behind her back. heads into the bathroom asking what was so funny, and as I'm lying there relating the dream to her, proceeding to laugh all over again, she busts out the camera and snaps a picture of me. Then when she finds out what I thought was so funny, ALMOST dumped a glass of water on my head (and probably would have if I hadn't opened my eyes) So yeah, I thought I had gone absolutely NUTTERS for a minute, waking up laughing like that. I know SHE did. Still, funny stuff, not sure I've ever woken up laughing before. Talking about Russian soldiers or something sure, but never laughing. K, BUSY day today, so I need to finish getting around here and hop to it!

OH, new Hero By Night comic page up today to check out if you haven't picked up the book yet in stores, INSERT SUBLIMINAL HYPERLINKAGE HERE!!!

homework help

Jason Embury — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:25:00 GMT

-i suck at math but when my kid needs help on learning how to draw dragons, I can help with that. a quick 15 minute color study after going through the basic dragon shapes with her so she could work on her own. Prismacolor markers, colored pencil and a tiny bit of ink. (see below)

-so dishes are done, garbage is at the road, homework help is out of the way, and coffee is made. Which means it's time to stop emptying the brain, and start back in with some work here. ugh.

Ringing in the New Year with a comic from the Dabel Brothers!

Jason Embury — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:10:00 GMT

Novelist C.E. Murphy (The Negotiator Trilogy,The Walker Papers) has signed a deal to produce her superhero comic series Take A Chance, with the Dabel Brothers! Issue 1 of the series is completely done, issue 2-5 will have art by the amazing Ardian Syaf, and I will be providing digital inks AND colors for this series. More news and updates to come as they roll in here, but I'm literally NECK DEEP in work here in the studio wrapping up colors on Hero By Night issue 2, and finishing up colors on the Hotshot and Mighty Girl graphic novel for Platinum Studios in the next month as well. Here's a sample of my colors from issue 1, and a sample of the digital inks from issue 3!