Dave Dorman on the State of the Comics Industry and Digital Art

Dear Friends,

I thank all of you who came to see me at C2E2. It’s always good to see familiar faces at the show. It was great to reconnect with many of my friends there and some winners of the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Awards as well. One key business dinner meeting resulted in some exciting news about my own action-adventure western series The Wasted Lands and I look forward to sharing that news when I can. Suffice it to say there will be plenty of new Wasted Lands material to see at my Booth #4500 at San Diego Comic-Con this year.

Image of M. d’Cease, the sexy, bad-assed coroner of Mortal City in Dave Dorman’s Wasted Lands.

I was flattered to read today that some of the Star Wars  fans would like to see me do the next movie poster. Here’s their comments: http://bitly.com/137QU69

I did a 2-part interview at Hypno Comics in Ventura, CA a couple of weeks ago with owner George Chase, and a special thanks to Jeffrey Willerth at SliceofSciFi.com for everything he did to create the piece. In this interview, George & I discuss the state of the comics industry and what I, as a traditional artist, really think about digital art, and the deficits I see in a lot of younger artists — deficits that can be fixed if they’re aware of them. Here’s a link to that interview: http://bitly.com/17DN5qj

My next big show is Spectrum Fantasy Art Live in Kansas City May 17th, 18th and 19th, so I look forward to reconnecting with my artist friends and fans there. I will have some original art pieces there that aren’t typical of what you’ve seen from me in the past. Here is a link to information on that show: http://bitly.com/ZHfkTm

Today I deliver my painting to our close family friends, the Haleys, and their lovely daughter Lauren, who patiently posed for this piece I did for the Visions of Oz Gallery Show in Los Angeles, curated by Taylor White:

Dave Dorman’s “Dorothy Daydreams” Painting. Oil and acrylic on canvas. 24″ x 36.”

As always, I thank you for reading. If you have questions, I answer them more readily on Facebook – that link is https://facebook.com/davedormanfanpage. On Twitter I’m @DaveDorman and my wife is @WriteBrainMedia. On LinkedIn, I’m https://linkedin.com/in/thedavedorman. Feel free to connect with me on my social media sites.

Dave.

Dave Dorman Updates

Dear Friends,

This week I had a couple of nice press mentions. The first was a podcast interview with “From the Booth” which is sponsored by Captain Blue Hen Comics. You can listen to that interview here: http://bitly.com/Zgk25t

The second was a nice press mention on my Star Wars Dark Empire covers from Ryan Britt of Tor.com. You can access that review and the comment I posted back here: http://bitly.com/Y6dZ8x

There are a couple of Kickstarter campaigns you might want to check out, if you’re interested in supporting them. I am providing artwork for British magazine TRIPWIRE’s 21st Anniversary Issue of their Magazine. I think you’ll recognize my work in the graphic below. That link is here: http://kck.st/10Ic33G

TRIPWIRE 21st Anniversary Magazine

The second Kickstarter campaign I have no connection to, other than I think it’s cool and a game-changer for all of the model and prop making friends and enthusiasts (like me) who follow me here. These guys have created a fail-proof plug & play special f/x kit for your models and props – everything from batteries & lighting to smoke to sound f/x. Check that out here: http://kck.st/XxshQn I really hope they get funded. Again, this is a game changer.

Next weekend I will be joining friends Larry Elmore and Kevin J. Anderson in L.A. judging the Writers & Illustrators of the Future Awards. I am told it’s televised in L.A., so if you want to catch me looking uncomfortable in a monkey suit (that is, tux–I won’t be dressing in a Planet of the Apes costume, which it just occurred to me you might be expecting), please tune in.

Right now I am finishing up a labor of love – a story for Dave Elliott’s MONSTER MASSACRE book that will feature my protagonist motorcycle zombie character, HITCH, which some of you may remember from my book, the Bram Stoker nominated, Int’l Horror Guild Assoc. winner in 1996 from Mojo Press, “DEAD HEAT.” Unfortunately we (Del Stone Jr. and I) were way ahead of the times, writing about zombies before the production world caught on to their money-making potential. Publisher’s Weekly said “Hitch, the protagonist of this gonzo post-apocalyptic fantasy, may be the most outrageous superhero ever conceived for the printed page: a meathook-wielding zombie whose exertions repeatedly challenge him to overcome the limitations of his deteriorating body.”

I will be exhibiting in Artist’s Alley at C2E2 this year in Chicago, so I hope you can come out. Reed Exhibits does a really solid job with this show and it’s quickly becoming the Comic-Con of the Midwest, so check it out. I have to dig up my table #, so watch for me to post that on Facebook – my fan page is http://facebook.com/davedormanfanpage, so please “Like” my page when you get a moment. I am at my 5k limit with friends on my personal FB page, so my apologies for that inconvenience.

Lastly, if you are interested in being one of the “Lucky 10″ at “THE DAVE DORMAN EXPERIENCE” this year, please write to denise@writebrainmedia.com for your reservation. Cost is $350 and I blogged about all of the fun swag you will receive, including the potential of winning a fresh Dave Dorman painting, in the last blog post, so check that out. We will need to know your answer quickly, as it takes a while to get t-shirts made.

As always, thanks for reading,

DAVE.

• On Twitter: @DaveDorman and Hashtag is #DaveDorman
• On LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thedavedorman
• Podcast: http://itscomicbookday.com

It’s Official – Dave Dorman Experience: Year Two Is Happening

Dear Friends,

Chef Timothy Schultz of Wisconsin is now officially on board, so I am pleased to announce we will be having The Dave Dorman Experience: Year Two this April 27th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., which is during (but not endorsed by or connected to) C2E2.

The Dave Dorman Experience: Year Two Package Includes These Exclusives:

• Limousine transportation from McCormick Place (where C2E2 is held) to Dorman’s private residence in the Chicago suburbs
• Swag bag of rare gifts from sponsors and Dorman’s personal archive
• Exclusive event t-shirt designed and signed by Dorman (watch this blog where I’ll post the t-shirt designs)
• Chef Timothy Schultz will be serving hors d’oeuvres and a traditional gourmet Italian meal paired with wines
• Collectors will have an exclusive tour of my studio, collections, and access to my private vault of prints, pencil prelims, and paintings
• Fans will receive an exclusive, live painting demo by me
• One lucky fan will win the pencil prelim from the live demo
• One lucky fan will win the actual painting from my live demo (Note: In the interest of drying time, I will be painting in acrylics rather than oils for this event)
• A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to Elgin Academy and the organization that helps my military family, USACares.org.

The cost to reserve space for this event is $350 per person, limited to a maximum of 10 people. To reserve your space today, please email denise@writebrainmedia.com for instructions, along with a list of any dietary restrictions, drink preferences, and most importantly, your shirt size.

To get more details, please “Like” https://Facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage or check back with me here. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact denise@writebrainmedia.com.

As always, thank you for reading and a Happy Easter to you!

Dave.

A New Sculpt for the Dorman Household

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I am a fan and collector, just as much as I am a participant in pop culture. To that end, I received this really fun Star Wars Obi-Wan sculpture Thursday from Sideshow Collectibles and I wanted to share it with you in case any of you collect and they’re not sold out already. I bought this piece at SDCC last year, and good things come to those that wait, but this one was 2 months overdue. However, it was worth the wait.

It comes with the Ewan McGregor-version head sculpt as well, interchangeable. I prefer the Alec Guinness version because I’m old school Star Wars.

I wanted to take this moment to thank all of you who caught my lightning fast appearances on WGN Morning News in the past couple of weeks, and especially thank all of you who showed up last night for the premiere of Cris Macht’s film, “A Force Within Us,” which granted me more than my share of on-screen time. The DVDs are $20 each and there are a few left, so get your copy now if you can. It was also nice to reconnect with Mark Voss of Post Meridian, who will be helping me out with my online classes, which will be happening sooner than later. Be sure to write to denise@writebrainmedia.com to get on the list for my first-ever public offering of online classes and portfolio reviews. Watch for my banner ads on Sandtroopers.com as well. 

Finally, my friend Brian Wyrick is very near reaching his Kickstarter goal for his graphic novel, The Henchmen. If he reaches his financial goal, I get to do the cover, which will be a really fun piece, so I look forward to it. A special thanks to Brian for making the 4-hour drive & coming out to the premiere last night, too. That link is here: 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1416077417/henchmen-an-independent-comic-book

As always, thanks for reading. 

Dave

 

Can You Come to the Star Wars Documentary “The Force Within Us” Movie Premiere?

Dear Friends,

If you can get to St. Charles, IL on Friday, March 22nd, I will be appearing at the Arcada Theater at 6:30 p.m. as part of “The Force Within Us” one-night-only Red Carpet Premiere. I will be signing stuff and have prints for sale at this event. This is FREE to the public. The 501st will be there – great for photo opps! This film by my friend Cris Macht documents how Star Wars has impacted the lives of its fans. Cris was kind enough to give me some screen time, and if you can’t make it, the documentary is for sale for $19.95. There are just 1,000 copies. Here’s the link to where you can order the film: http://www.theforceamongus.com/

Here is a WGN News story about Cris Macht’s film from yesterday. I’m told the reporter Pat Tomasulo is a big Batman fan, so I need to get him to my studio one of these days. See if you can spot my paintings in the background? http://bitly.com/XyKnSg

I also got a nice press mention yesterday in USA Today for my work in the upcoming TITAN  BOOKS MONSTER MASSACRE Anthology by Dave Elliott. I am doing a story about my motorcycle zombie character, HITCH, whom you might remember from my Bram Stoker Award nominated, International Horror Guild Award-winning book, “DEAD HEAT” with Del Stone Jr., published by Mojo Press. If you’d like to order a copy of the book, here is the link: http://amzn.to/13UWpGT Here is a sneak peek at my art from this new anthology:

If you love horror and monsters like I do, be sure to buy this book and have me sign it for you at San Diego Comic-Con. I’m always at Booth #4500.

I will have a table again this year at the C2E2 Show in April at McCormick Place, so if you’re coming to Chicago, please look for me there as well.

If you are trying to friend me on Facebook, I’m at my 5k max, so please join/like my Fan Page and I will connect with you there. That link is http://facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage

As always, thanks for reading.

Dave

Announcing My First Ever 24/7 Dave Dorman Online Store

Dear Friends of the Page,

I typically post a temporary page if I’m having a sale on my prints for a special occasion, but I’ve been thinking it would be wise to have a full-time online store, so here is the link to my new online store:

http://davedorman.bigcartel.com

Please feel free to share the link with your social networks. It would be an enormous favor to me.

Additionally, I have some fun new interviews posted on our podcast, http://itscomicbookday.com, and as always, I invite and encourage you to join me on my Facebook Fan Page, http://Facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage and on Linked In where I’m an open networker at http://linkedin.com/in/thedavedorman.

As always, I thank you for your support and interest in my work. I’m hard at work on getting my new online school launched, and I will be posting news here as I’m able to start accepting students. If you are interested in being on the early invite list, please email denise@writebrainmedia.com.

I should also mention, I’m in a Star Wars documentary called “The Force Within Us”  by my friend Cris Macht. I will be attending the premiere at the Arcada Theater in  St. Charles, IL on Friday, March 22nd, so if you are in Northern Illinois, I welcome you to join us there.

Have a good one, everybody,

Dave

My San Diego Comic-Con Update, Map of My Location

Dear Friends,

Here’s  a map of where you can find me this year at San Diego Comic-Con. For those who come back every year, it’s my “normal” location. Sharing my booth this year will be Blackwatch Comics (artist Christopher Shy and writer Michael Easton) so please be sure to check out their goth fantasy SOUL STEALER: The Collector’s Edition and NORTH END OF THE WORLD books as well.

DAVE DORMAN #SDCC BOOTH #4500

DAVE DORMAN #SDCC 2012 SIGNING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, July 12th, Noon – Booth #2913E– During the “Frak Out” Battlestar Galactica event, I will be in the ANOVOS Booth at the Lucasfilm Pavilion for the unveiling of my first-ever Battlestar Galactica (2004 series) fine art painting. I believe this is happening at noon.

Friday, July 13th, 11 a.m. – Noon, Booth #2615–I will be at the Dark Horse Comics Booth #2615 for a Star Wars Crimson Empire signing with Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, John Jackson Miller, Tom Taylor and Doug Wheatley.

Friday, July 13th, 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Room #8 –I will be on a panel moderated by MTV Geek’s Bradley Hatfield, celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Heavy Metal, the first publisher to print one of my pieces of cover art. Here’s a description: 

The panel will give fans a chance to peek behind the curtain for an incredible hour of conversation with Kevin Eastman as he and many of the iconic artists reflect on the history of ground-breaking storytelling as well as letting the audience in on plans for the future. Guests include: Kevin Eastman (Heavy Metal, Co Creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Michael Mendheim (Mutant League Football, Creator of Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Dave Elliott (Sponge Bob, Heavy Metal, Ninja Gaiden), Lorenzo Sperlonga (Heavy Metal, Steampunk Dolls, Poison Apples), Dave Dorman (Heavy Metal, Star Wars, Rolling Thunder), and Joe Pearson (Director of War of the Worlds: Goliath, Epoch Ink Animation).

Okay, that’s everything I know about at the moment. Please feel free to email or comment on Facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage if there’s anything you need.  Any journalists/bloggers/reporters trying to reach me, please contact my publicist Denise@WriteBrainMedia.com or call her at 630.215.5623.

I raise a toast for an entertaining, fun, safe SDCC for everyone this year! Let the games begin!

Dave. (Twitter hashtag #DaveDorman)

Dave Dorman’s First-Ever Battlestar Galactica Fine Art Print Launches at SDCC

Dear Friends,

I’m pleased to announce that ANOVOS, famed for their wonderful costume and gear recreations for Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek, asked me to do their first fine art print, which is also my first-ever Battlestar Galactica art from the newest series (2004-2009). Here is just a pencil study I did of Edward James Olmos/Admiral Adama, to give you a sneak peek at a small portion of the art. Most of your favorite characters will be in this piece – a hangar scene – and I hope that you enjoy the work when we unveil it next Wednesday night at San Diego Comic-Con (heretofore referenced as SDCC).

I Am Doing Three SDCC Exclusives this Year:

As always, I’m in Booth #4500, which is an end cap booth facing the lobby between the two F Doors. We are in that first row that runs parallel with the lobby. Joining us this year is Blackwatch Comics, which is ABC’s General Hospital actor and amazing writer Michael Easton (writer, “The Green Woman” for DC/Vertigo) and artist Christopher Shy of Studio Ronin fame. Their SOUL STEALER: The Collector’s Edition is launching at the show – an award-winning goth fantasy trilogy in a gorgeous Taschen-style book. Be sure to check them out. They are also offering sneak peeks at a cool historical fiction novel called “The North End of the World” about one of my favorite photographers, Edward S. Curtis, who documented all of the Native American Indians’ customs and images in photography.

I will have a new limited edition Sketchbook of my pencil illustration art for sale, limited to 250 copies, signed by me. I started this tradition last year and sold out, so I realized this was a worthwhile thing to do and affordable for the fans at just $10 per book.

My first-ever father-son collaboration on a Kaiju (Japanese Monster) toy for Max Toy Company will preview at SDCC (just the art, not the finished pieces) for founder Mark Nagata, a rock star in his own right when it comes to toys.

I will be joining the panel for HEAVY METAL on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. in Room #8. As you may have read in my autobiography, my very first published piece of work in my career was a HEAVY METAL cover, so naturally, I want to help them celebrate their 35th anniversary. This is my 30th anniversary in the business this year.

My Captain America art will be in the MARVEL Comics Pop-Up book launching at SDCC.

I will be happy to sign my Crimson Empire and Darth Maul Dark Horse Comics covers for anyone who would like an autograph. Autographs are ALWAYS FREE. I will be doing a signing in their booth, so check out their website for the dates/times.

Okay, I think that’s everything for now. If you’re a blogger, reporter or journalist wanting to connect with me at the show, please set up your schedule with my PR firm WriteBrain Media – denise@writebrainmedia.com or call 630.845.4694. If you haven’t already, please “Like” my Facebook Fan Page – I’m very active on there – it’s http://Facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage. Unfortunately, I’m over my limit for people I can friend on my personal page, so I flit back and forth between the two pages these days.

Thanks for reading,

Dave.

Dave Dorman’s New Star Wars Celebration VI Art: ATST’s and EWOKS! Your Questions Answered!

Dear Friends,

After StarWars.com posted my new art for the Star Wars Celebration VI Limited Edition fine art print, “Breaking Ground: Imperial Base, Moon of Endor,” many of you had praise and an equal number of you had questions for me, so this blog is addressing your questions about the art. I did this piece to incorporate the elements that I enjoy – the ATST’s, the Ewoks, the Biker Scouts, who are the hot rodders of the Imperial Guard – in a scene that has never been, but nonetheless plays out in my own theater of the mind. Note: Please be sure to check out my other artist friends producing prints who are also listed the Celebration VI Gallery at StarWars.com.

Star Wars Celebration VI Art by Dave Dorman, Unfinished.

Before moving ahead, I just wanted to clarify that the image I’m showing you here is unfinished. I still have more work to do – a few added elements and tonal changes and color corrections. I will post the actual final version after I return from San Diego Comic-Con.

#1. Why is Darth Vader surrounded by Imperial Guards? First off, this was a compositional decision. I needed to draw your eye’s attention to Vader, and the bold red of the Imperial Guards against the cool earth tones of the rest of the piece ensures that he commands your attention. If he were just sandwiched among Storm Troopers, you wouldn’t readily notice Vader. Secondly, Vader is overseeing the Emperor’s construction of the second Death Star, so the Imperial Guards are ensuring and reporting back that nothing is amiss on the Moon of Endor.

#2. What’s with the ATST’s? The Moon of Endor is a forested planet, so naturally, deforesting needed to be part of the construction for the Base Camp. In my mind’s eye, the ATST’s made perfect sense as the laborers in this scenario, due to their strength and adaptability. After all, the “AT” in ATST does stand for “All Terrain,” so I replaced their heavy gun array with claws.

#3. Why the Ewoks? Over the years, I’ve had literally hundreds of fans request that I paint Ewoks, so this piece is my tip of the hat to those fans. Obviously the Ewoks are resisting the intrusion from the Empire, so they are creating chaos and getting arrested in this scene.

#3. What is the cost of the print? Like many of you, I have been hit hard by this horrendous economy, so rather than the typical $100 cost for my previous Celebration limited edition prints, this year I have lowered the cost to $80. I wanted to ensure that you have money to spend on other items at SWCVI as well. I’m a fan, too, and I know I would like it if my dollar stretched further.

#4. How can I pre-order this print? Lucasfilm has changed their contract, so please watch for me to post pre-order information on this blog and my Facebook Fan Page, which is http://facebook.com/DaveDormanFanPage. At this time I’m not prepared to take pre-orders, so please do not email now. However, after I return from San Diego around July 20^th, I will make a posting of all of the information needed to preorder this print. As stated previously, the edition is limited to 250 copies, so those who have purchased prints from me before and would like a matching number, I will also be able to take that information when ordering begins.

I will be posting a separate blog about my San Diego Comic-Con news, probably tomorrow, so stay tuned. I apologize for the radio silence, but I’ve been slammed with deadlines. I’ve been posting the work I’m doing on my Facebook Fan Page, so you’re probably aware that I just did a Pathfinder cover for Dynamic Forces and I’m doing the Darth Maul covers for Dark Horse Comics. Probably the biggest surprise is my first-ever limited edition Battlestar Galactica (2004 series) fine art print that we’ll be unveiling at San Diego Comic-Con with ANOVOS. I also have a Kaiju Japanese Monster design to unveil there – my first-ever collaboration with my son Jack for Max Toy Company and Mark Nagata. It’s been a busy but fun and creatively rewarding summer so far!

I have added a lot of public appearances to my schedule, so I will go over those in my next blog as well. For those of you near Northern Illinois, I will be appearing at Comic Book Mania – a small but growing convention at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, Illinois this coming Saturday, July 7^th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Joining me will be my artist friends Doug Klauba and Cory Carani, among many other talents appearing there.

Dynamic Duo Alert: Dave Dorman Collaborating with X-Files Star Dean Haglund on Graphic Novel

Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL—April 20, 2012—In their first creative collaboration, #1 Star Wars Artist Dave Dorman is creating the cover art for The X-Files and Lone Gunmen actor and “The Truth is Out There” filmmaker Dean Haglund. Haglund’s new graphic novel “Shock ‘N Awesome” is currently a Kickstarter.com campaign and promises a conspiracy theory lovers tale, unveiling the very Indiana Jones-like truth behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Hint: It wasn’t oil.

“Dean and I have kicked around some collaborative ideas over the years, but this one feels right to me,” said Dorman. “I am thrilled that someone of Dave’s caliber is working with me on this creative adventure. I believe Dave’s cover art will excite people enough to meet my Kickstarter goal,” Haglund added. Shock ‘N Awesome currently has $4,257 in contributions with 23 more days remaining to earn the total $7,000 required to produce the graphic novel.

If funding goes according to plan, Haglund hopes to have the graphic novel ready in time for San Diego Comic-Con, and an autograph session at Dorman’s Booth #4500.

Haglund will publish an initial run of 1,000 issues to be distributed through Diamond.

For more information, please visit http://deanhaglund.com or http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deanhaglund/shock-n-awesome-graphic-novel.

About Dean Hagund:

Dean is probably best known for his nine seasons playing Langly, one of the computer geeks known as “The Lone Gunmen” from the hit FOX TV series The X-Files.  Today, Dean’s visual art is now collected worldwide. His oil paintings combine an unabashed Graphic Novel sensibility, using classic compositions and images from iconic Americana. Modern allegories and metaphors arise from a heavily researched catalogue of past works using the emotional/ theatrical tableaus with re-stated contemporary themes and cultural touchstones to evoke new meaning. Dean headlines with his unique ONE MAN X-FILES IMPROV COMEDY show at comedy clubs, colleges and comedy festivals around the world, which earned him 4-star reviews from the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival, two years in a row.

About Dave Dorman:

For the past 30 years, Eisner and Inkpot Award-winning artist Dave Dorman’s dynamic, hyper-realism art has boosted toy and comic book sales for those art directors wise enough to hire him. His fan base is worldwide. In 2012 Dorman did the six covers completing the Dark Horse Star Wars “Crimson Empire” series, and is currently creating the covers for the new four-book “Darth Maul” series. His Captain America art also appears in the new Marvel pop-up book Super Heroes vs. Villains: An Explosive Pop-Up of Rivalries slated for a July 2012 release. His autobiography, “Rolling Thunder: The Art of Dave Dorman” (IDW Publishing/Desperado Publishing) is available on Amazon.com and his 2-part instructional series on pencil and oil illustration is available via The Gnomon Workshop. This year, Dave Dorman will be exhibiting this year at Spectrum, San Diego Comic-Con Booth #4500 and Star Wars Celebration 6. His one-man art show, “Pi ala Mode” just completed its April run Chicago’s Rotofugi art gallery.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Denise Dorman | 630.845.4694 | denise@writebrainmedia.com

Tw: @writebrainmedia | Facebook.com/writebrainmedia

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