Mike Jackson's art blog

Fly Guy

2009-11-16T09:04:00.000-08:00

I did this painting for the Faculty and Staff art show.

Just a fun piece to do.

Codey's Monster

2009-11-16T08:50:00.001-08:00

Here are some paintings from a project I am currently working on.

Halloween Art Show Thumbnails

2009-06-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been trying to come up with some ideas for a Halloween art show that will be in a gallery at the University. My ideas are based on my favorite monsters and these 2 pages are the thumbnail ideas for the paintings. I usually go through a process like this that basically gets my ideas on paper and out of my head so I can edit and change the drawings as I go to the more finished illustrations later on.

This is also the first time I have started on a show like this early in the year...I usually wait until closer so I can work a tighter deadline and finish the last one right before the show. Not really procrastinating, I just like working under pressure, it is easier to do it that way, I don't tend to over think things too much that way.

I hope you enjoy looking at these and come back to see the finished work later on.

The Captain

2009-05-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a doodle I did with my new ink to test out the paper I use with the ink. I am happy the way it turned out and I plan on using this as a jumping on point for a future painting. I am really starting to like the black and white style because it forces me to look at an image without all the major detail.

For some reason everytime I look at this guy I see Charlie Sheen.

Strange how the mind works.

Tusken Raider

2009-05-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

This is a new style I am trying out. I have found a great Sumi ink from Japan and it smells awesome and the blacks are really dark. I have been on a quest for a really nice Black ink that only goes into the gray scale if I add water or something else...not turn gray right out of the bottle. I used to really like Higgins Black Magic ink but it lost its darkness over time.

Anyhow I approached this draawing with very little pencil work for the underdrawing, basically enough to get the idea. The main drawing was done in ink, something a artist named Grant Lund many years ago told me to to do...to gain more confidence in your drawing skills...draw in ink.

He was right!

And this is Star Wars...something that got me into drawing many years ago!

Fun stuff.

Ride Em' Cowboy

2009-03-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

This one was done for my brother-in-law for a charity auction. It was basically designed in a couple of days and executed in black and white.

Black and white paintings are where I started playing in paint and is something I want to do more of in the future...not worrying about color and stuff makes it a challenge and FUN! And FUN is the main this to have...right?

Cleopatra's Caboose

2009-02-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is a painting for a game called Cleopatra's Caboose, published by Zman Games. It was a fun project to work on for me because I love painting trains! I don't paint them much but when I do I always think I should have worked on a railroad!

Enjoy!

Masks

2008-11-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is one I started a while ago but for some reason I did not finish it. It happens sometimes. But due to a friend of mine remembering stuff I started YEARS ago, he decided to commission me to finish this one.

So if you like this one you can thank Ryan for getting me to finish it.

Engineering College Illustrations

2008-09-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the cover and inside painting I did for the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I was happy with the way everything turned out but I still like the guys head better than the cover image for some reason. I always thought that should have been the cover. But I was not in control of that one.

Train paintings

2007-12-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

These were the front an back covers for a book I illustrated for John Maag and Sue Kemp called Peculiar Tracks for Derailing Resistance. It was a fun project to work on and gave me a chance to paint a train, something I hadn't done before this one.

Christmas Card

2007-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

I did this one for my wife after about 10 years of her asking for one...maybe one day I will paint her another one :)

I want to be a cowboy...

2007-12-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

Or at least I did when I was a kid...I changed my mind when I figured out they were not all like the Lone Ranger.

Rooster Rider

2007-12-17T09:13:00.001-08:00

This is one I did for my sister for Christmas.

Halloween Paintings...

2007-12-17T09:03:00.000-08:00

These were painted for a children's show I did for Halloween.

And still another for the same project

2007-12-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

Some work for a project I am working on...

2007-12-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

Just some new paintings for a project I am working on.

Summer

2007-10-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a new sketch of a painting I am working on. I will post the finished illustration soon.

Grog's Autumn

2007-08-31T12:15:00.001-07:00

Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year. This is a character that has been bouncing in my head for years so I took the time one day to paint him in a Fall setting and this is what happened.

Don Quixote

2007-08-31T12:13:00.000-07:00

This painting was done for a friend who worked in the Spanish Embassy in Washington D.C. It was used by the Embassy for their 2006 Calendar. This was a fun one to painting and it wasn't until recently that I realized that if you cover one half of his face he looks calm and when you cover the other side he looks disturbed. Quite telling if you ask me.

Story Tree

2007-08-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

A Fun one inspired by my niece and her classmates.

Codey's Monster

2007-08-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! This is a place where you will be able to see my ideas and art. I hope you enjoy your what you see. Please feel free to let me know what you think.
Thanks,
mj