GrantGould.com

StarWars.com DRAW CAD BANE

2012-01-23T14:30:00.000-06:00

Next up in the official Star Wars site's new series of drawing tutorials is the bounty hunter Cad Bane, sporting his new season 4 outfit. Click here to check it out, and if you enjoy it, be sure to "like" the page and share it with others!

No Assembly Required: Wobet

2012-01-18T00:44:00.001-06:00

A new "NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" feature has been posted, written by Dungeon Master superstar Michael Mallen. Each month Mike focuses on a new monster or villain and I provide the illustration.

Here's the link:
No Assembly Required: Wobet

(Tim Tebow fans will like this one.) ;)

Yahoo! Kids DRAW R2-D2 & THE QUEEN OF NABOO

2012-01-13T14:56:00.002-06:00

Some of my new drawing tutorials for StarWars.com are also being featured on the Yahoo! Kids site --

Click here to visit Yahoo! Kids or click here to download the DRAW R2-D2 page!

Click here to visit Yahoo! Kids or click here to download the DRAW THE QUEEN OF NABOO page!

StarWars.com DRAW WATTO

2012-01-11T23:45:00.001-06:00

The official Star Wars site has begun their launch of a new series of drawing tutorials created by me, and the second character featured is one of my FAVORITES. :) Watto! Love me some Watto. I was extra excited to draw this one. Click here to check it out, and if you enjoy it, be sure to "like" the page and share it with others! :)

StarWars.com DRAW DARTH MAUL

2012-01-11T23:35:00.000-06:00

The official Star Wars site has begun their launch of a new series of drawing tutorials created by me, starting with everyone's favorite Sith baddie, Darth Maul. Click here to check it out, and if you enjoy it, be sure to "like" the page and share it with others! :)

'Game of Thrones' art featured on io9.com

2012-01-11T23:15:00.001-06:00

I was very flattered to see some of my "Game of Thrones" fan art featured over at io9 recently. Click here to check it out. :)

Those of you new to my site, who maybe found me via that article, here are a few other GoT pieces I've done:
Eddard Stark
Jon Snow
Daenerys

Galaxy Rangers

2012-01-05T14:13:00.002-06:00

That's the intro to one of my favorite '80s cartoons, "Galaxy Rangers." Last year (2011), I had the incredible honor of creating designs and concepts for a potential reimagining of the series. Working on such a beloved property from my childhood was an awesome experience -- one of my highlights of 2011. :) Entertainment One has now given me permission to share some of my art from the project.

Please note: These are not necessarily final concepts. These are just a handful of the various images and stages in the design process.

At this moment, I have no additional info as to what the status of the project is, when or if it'll actually make it to TV, etc. If I hear anything new and have permission to talk about it, I'll let you all know.

"He is Dovahkiin... Dragonborn!"

2012-01-05T02:26:00.002-06:00

I've been wanting to take a few hours to draw something fun for myself since the new year started. So I drew this tonight. Yeah, I know, more Skyrim. You're probably sick of hearing about Skyrim. Man, I just love the game. Got it on the brain!

This was what my character looked like when I started the game. This new drawing is closer to what he looks like now (gotta love those Doctor Doom/Death-Eater-lookin' dragon priest masks). It came out a little bit Mignola-ish. Didn't try to do that.

IN OTHER NEWS
Just two quick things: (1) I'll be out of town this weekend and won't have much access to the internet. So if you email me and don't hear back right away, that's why. And (2) my first batch of 2012 sketchbooks finally arrived from the printer. So I'll be getting those mailed soon, probably this next week. Thanks, everyone!

2011 Favorites

2011-12-31T01:03:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year. Top 10 Lists! Favorite Stuff! Here are a few of the things that entertained me and consumed my free time in 2011.

Favorite Book: This was definitely the year of George R.R. Martin for me. I read books 2 through 5 of the "Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire" series (I read book 1 late last year). Hard to pick a favorite, because they're all awesome, but I'd say my top fave so far is book 3, "Storm of Swords."

Favorite TV Show (Drama): Season 1 of "Game of Thrones," hands down. It rocked my world. HBO is doing the fantasy genre proud.

Favorite TV Show (Sitcom): My wife and I got hooked on both "New Girl" and "Up All Night." I gotta call it a tie. Love 'em both.

Favorite Podcast: MATES, ie. Mike & Tom Eat Snacks. It's two of my favorite actor/comedians, Tom Cavanagh & Michael Ian Black, literally eating snacks and talking about them. But it's hilarious and they go on ridiculous tangents and I love it. Their official site was matescast.tumblr.com, but I think they recently switched over to nerdist.com/podcast/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks. Whatever. Just subscribe to 'em in iTunes.

Favorite Movie: I'm gonna cheat and NOT pick a top favorite. Nothing stands out to me as the best of the best. Over all, I'd consider it kind of a slow year for movies, but there were some flicks that I saw and enjoyed a lot. Sherlock Holmes 2 was great, smart and clever just like the first one. Kung Fu Panda 2 was really fun. The Help was a fantastic movie (love me some Emma Stone). Also really liked Crazy, Stupid, Love. Tree of Life was really interesting. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was great. Fright Night was awesome and proved that remakes don't always have to be crappy. I've always loved the original Fright Night, and I thought the new one was really well-done, fun, and made with respect to the fans. Hanna was a great movie. Limitless was a great movie. I did see all the superhero stuff, too (Cap, X-men, Thor, Green Lantern). Again, nothing A+, but I enjoyed 'em. They were all in the C+ to B+ range for me.

Favorite Music: OK, no top favorite here either. I downloaded a few songs off iTunes and bought maybe one or two CDs (I like Adele's "21" a lot, can't argue with that one). But over all, I just didn't listen to much music. I spend all my time listening to podcasts and talk radio... I did develop an appreciation for and a crush on Rihanna. And I'm looking forward to Lana Del Rey's CD in late January. Also, the Skyrim soundtrack = AWESOME.
Hey, speaking of which...

Favorite Game: I tell ya, I wasn't a videogame guy before Skyrim. I heard about it earlier in the year and saw the promos for it, and I was just drawn to it like a nerd-moth to a nerd-flame. I had to play it. I pretty much got an xbox 360 BECAUSE of this game. And I've loved every second of it. It gives you such an open world, so many options -- there's so much to explore and do and experience. And I love the look and feel of it. Man, if you're a fantasy geek (or an old school D&D fanboy like I am), you owe it to yourself to play this thing. It's epic.

10 Years of Fellowship

2011-12-19T17:25:00.004-06:00

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the theatrical release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, ie. my favorite movie everrr. I wanted to draw something new to celebrate, but alas, I'm short on time these days. So I just made an Aragorn wallpaper to share with everyone. (No, you don't have permission to sell prints of this image -- No, you don't have permission to make it into T-shirts and sell them -- It's for FREE sharing only! Just covering my bases here.) :P Middle-Earth map courtesy of Google.

Just click on the image above for the full-sized version. Should be big enough to work on most desktops.
:)

2012 Sketchbook

2011-12-08T10:44:00.001-06:00

My new 2012 sketchbook is now available to order! This year's nerdy parody cover is a mashup of the 'Easy A' movie poster and Daenerys from Game of Thrones. (Yes, it's true, I took a break from Star Wars on the cover this time -- but don't worry, there's plenty of Star Wars INSIDE the book!)

"Khaleesi A" is the same larger format as the past couple years' editions, with color covers and b&w interiors. Books will ship the month after they're ordered -- so December orders will ship in January, etc. This allows me time to order copies as needed, both for online orders and for conventions.

To order:
Send Paypal order to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "2012 sketchbook" in the subject line. Be sure your snail mail address is included. The books are $20 each plus $5 shipping within the U.S., or $10 shipping outside the U.S.

If you would like a custom head sketch of your favorite character on the first page of the sketchbook, add an extra $10 to your order and let me know which character you'd like!

My previous three sketchbooks are still available as well -- they're $20 each, same as the new one (with head sketch options for an extra $10 each). Just be sure to specify which books you're interested in when placing your order.
2009 Sketchbook: Quantum of Sarlacc
2010 Sketchbook: Inglourious Lizerds
2011 Sketchbook: Thrawn Legacy

Thanks, everyone!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: grantgoboom@gmail.com

No Assembly Required: Hoarfrost Goblins

2011-12-06T21:33:00.001-06:00

A new "NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" feature has been posted, written by RPG rockstar Michael Mallen, the man behind the popular gaming blog The Id DM. Each month Mike focuses on a new monster or villain and I provide the illustration.

Here's the link:
No Assembly Required: Hoarfrost Goblins

Talkin' About The Wars

2011-12-05T18:09:00.001-06:00

Be sure to check out this week's CLONE WARS ROUNDTABLE (forcecast.net) focusing on the newest season 4 episode "Slaves of the Republic." Jimmy & Jason were nice enough to invite me back to be a guest on the show, so I look forward to chit-chatting with them about Slave Ahsoka and Anakin's risqué business and everything else that went down in the exciting mid-season finale.

You can listen to the Roundtable live on Tuesday evening, otherwise - if ya miss it - I'll come back and update this post with a link later in the week once it's available for download.

Update

2011-11-29T18:48:00.001-06:00

Hey, folks. Just wanted to apologize for being missing in action lately -- I know I'm way behind on some emails. Moving took up a lot more of November than I'd expected, and I've also been working on some new projects, including one for Lucasfilm. I can't say what it is yet, but here's a cryptic little sneaky peek:

So, yeah, things are busy. I should be able to find some time to catch up on a few commissions hopefully late next week. I hate being behind on commissions. If you're waiting on one, please don't ever hesitate to email me and ask about the status -- I can always use the nudge.

For those who've asked: No, I'm not doing any sketch cards for the new Topps Galaxy set. I've just had too much going on. I'll still have two base cards in there though.

My new 2012 sketchbook is also on the horizon. (Those of you who are still waiting on commissions by the time the sketchbook's available will get a copy for FREE.) So more on that soon.

That's about all I got right now. Just wanted to touch base and mention those things. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Ah'll be bock.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T04:14:00.001-06:00

Been a little while since I've drawn something fun just for myself, so I drew my Skyrim character. I've been playing the game on my xbox whenever I can find a few spare moments. SUCH an awesome game.

Ivven Oyre

2011-11-14T03:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to Emma!

This is a special birthday commission from Eric. :)

MMA Torch Art: Dos Santos & Velasquez

2011-11-12T17:47:00.001-06:00

I'll be doing some illustrations for the popular Mixed Martial Arts site MMA Torch. These are the first two out of the gate -- Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.

Keep an eye on mmatorch.com for future artwork and all sorts of MMA awesomeness. :)

No Assembly Required: Errich “Sliver” Torrap

2011-11-07T09:25:00.002-06:00

The 3rd "NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" feature has been posted. It's written by my friend Michael Mallen, the man behind the popular gaming/RPG blog The Id DM. Each month Mike focuses on a new monster or villain, and I do the illustrations for each one.

Here's the link:
No Assembly Required: Errich 'Sliver' Torrap

Check out the sketch version of "Sliver" over here :)

Star Wars Galaxy 7 Coming in February

2011-10-27T13:00:00.002-05:00

Hey, everyone -- I'm back from my honeymoon! I had an amazing wedding. :) Now comes the task of slipping back into work mode.

I did want to announce that I recently finished two base cards for the upcoming Star Wars Galaxy Series 7 set from Topps -- I can't show the art yet, but I can tell you that one card features Ahsoka and one card features Han Solo. At this point, I don't know 100% if I'll be doing any sketch cards or not. I've got a lot on my plate (including moving into a new place), so we'll see... If I do end up doing sketches, it'll be a very small amount. I'll keep you posted as we get closer to February.

Thanks! I'll be back soon with more updates and artwork.

I do.

2011-10-19T17:11:00.002-05:00

My attempt at illustrating the beautiful and wonderful Gina Murilla, soon to be Mrs. Gina Gould. (I didn't do her justice, of course. She's just too cute!) ♥

I'm gettin' married this week, folks! And I am now officially on vacation until the 27th. I may occasionally check email, but for the most part, I'll be spending time with my new wife, my family and friends, enjoying the honeymoon, and trying my best not to think about work or bills or any of that. :) See you in a little over a week!

Baron Karza

2011-10-17T14:12:00.001-05:00

Here's an 11"x17" pencil & ink piece of Baron Karza that I drew for art collector Andrew Allen earlier this year at the MN SpringCon show. You can check out Andrew's entire collection over here. Pretty awesome gallery (Battlestar stuff too!). :)

Dragonborn Sketch

2011-10-15T07:34:00.000-05:00

A quick behind-the-scenes look at next month's No Assembly Required creature feature. I'll post the final version once the article goes live during the first week of November.

Coolness from Fan Days

2011-10-08T17:32:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, I'm not at Fan Days this weekend, but I just got an email from a guy named Bart McLeroy. He brought a copy of my Thrawn Legacy 2011 sketchbook with him to the show and had it signed by Timothy Zahn (author of the Thrawn Trilogy) then sent me this pic. :) I thought that was really cool -- just wanted to share. I wish I could be there in Texas right now to be part of the fun!

Thank You, Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T13:56:00.000-05:00

Everyone's posting tributes today and I'm no exception. Not only am I a lifelong Mac guy (aah, high school "Mac Lab"), but the creative world has lost one of its brightest and most influential supporters. The guy was a technological pioneer that our grandkids will be reading about in history books (on iPads or some similar device).

I encourage you all to take 15 minutes to check out the above video: Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. He gives some valuable, encouraging life lessons. It's very much worth watching.

"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

No Assembly Required: Aurora Izel

2011-10-03T14:51:00.004-05:00

The second "NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" feature is now online -- Be sure to share the link with all of your gamer/RPG-lovin' friends. It's written by Michael Mallen, the man behind the popular gaming blog The Id DM. Each month Mike focuses on a new monster or villain, and I do the illustrations for each one.

Here's the link:
No Assembly Required: Aurora Izel

And I like to show a little behind-the-scenes for the artwork, too, so here's some of that for ya (click for larger version) --

(1) I started with a rough thumbnail doodle, then blew that up to pencil over (I can't find my pencil scan, so we move straight to:) (2) Inks, done with Faber-Castell artist brush pens. (3) Image is scanned into Photoshop and I create flat colors on a "Multiply" layer. And then (4) I add some shading and FX (play around with blurs, opacities, etc.)... And finally, at some point, I end up with the artwork you see at the top of this post. :)

Mad Love for October

2011-09-30T13:41:00.001-05:00

I know I'm a few hours early, but HAPPY OCTOBER, everyone!

My favorite month of the year. I love Autumn and I love Halloween and all the spooky things that come with it (marriage! mwuahaa haa) ;)

This Harley Quinn print will be available at FallCon and for sale online.

Minnesota FallCon

2011-09-28T13:26:00.001-05:00

FallCon is fast-approaching! For those of you who've never gone, it's an awesome one-day convention here in Minnesota. Lots of creative folks and lots of dealers selling toys, comics and collectibles. This year's show is on Saturday, October 15th, from 10am to 4pm. If you're in the area, definitely come check it out. :)

I will have a table there. However, due to the fact that it only runs a few hours and I want to spend some time socializing with artist friends I rarely get to see, I will NOT be doing sketches at FallCon this year. But feel free to email me at grantgoboom@gmail.com if you'd like to inquire about maybe having me do a sketch ahead of time for you -- you could Paypal me now, then pick up the finished art at the show.

But hey, even though I'm not doing sketches on-site, I'll have plenty of art goodies for sale. :) I will have 2011 sketchbooks as well as a large variety of 11"x17" art prints -- $20 each, BUY 2 & GET A 3RD FREE!

Hope to see you there!

The Power Chronicles

2011-09-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

"The Power Chronicles" (ThePowerChronicles.com) is a young adult novel in the making. The author, Reggie, commissioned me awhile back to create this cover art. It seems like a really fun, cool story -- definitely click the link and if you like what you see, show your support by checking out his Facebook page, or donate some fundage, or help spread the word and share the link with friends. :)

Sucker Punch: Babydoll PROCESS

2011-09-19T13:32:00.001-05:00

One more Babydoll post -- For those of you interested in the behind-the-scenes of drawing, I posted a look at the process (pencils to color) over on my DeviantArt gallery. Here's the link.

Sucker Punch: Babydoll ORIGINAL FOR SALE

2011-09-18T13:37:00.001-05:00

This is the original 8.5"x11" pencil & ink drawing of my Babydoll print. I'm offering it for $50 (plus shipping, $5 U.S., $10 outside the U.S.). If you're interested, email me at grantgoboom@gmail.com. And if you'd like an 11"x17" high-quality print of the colored version along with it, add an extra $20 -- the original and the print would look great framed side-by-side! :)

**UPDATE**
Drawing has been SOLD.

Sucker Punch: Babydoll

2011-09-17T03:07:00.003-05:00

11"x17" high-quality prints of this Babydoll piece are available for $20. For ordering info (as well as some other available prints), click here!
:)

Draw Embo from Star Wars: The Clone Wars

2011-09-16T09:04:00.001-05:00

I drew this kids' step-by-step for StarWars.com last year, but they ended up not using it. Now that the site's undergoing a massive revamp and they're focusing on new material/features, I think it's safe to go ahead and post this. So here ya go, just in time for the Clone Wars season 4 premiere -- everyone's favorite green-skinned, alien-samurai, butt-kickin' bounty hunter!

Use light pencil strokes and follow the red lines as guides. Start by creating a stick figure frame with circles to represent knees, shoulders, etc.

Give his body its basic shape now, kind of a sharp-edged "figure eight."

Flesh him out some more -- arms, feet, hat -- still using very loose, light, simple shapes.

Now that his over all shape is coming together, you can start penciling in some more detailed areas, such as his face, belt, and clothing.

Okay, by this point you should have a fairly detailed pencil drawing. Go ahead and add some darker lines, fine-tune those details. If something looks wrong, go ahead and erase and try again. Don't be afraid to erase and try again!

And finally, after your pencils are done, you can add some inks, or make a photocopy and THEN inks, or scan it into your computer, or color it with markers. It's completely up to you.

For my example here, I used Faber-Castell artist pitt pens to ink my drawing, and then scanned it into Photoshop and colored it digitally (as seen above).

STAR WARS Return Cards $75 SUPER-SALE

2011-09-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

SW GALAXY SERIES 5 Grievous & Asajj: SOLD
CLONE WARS: SEASON 2 Captain Rex: SOLD
SW GALAXY SERIES 6 Boba Fett: SOLD
CLONE WARS: SEASON 2 Ahsoka: SOLD

About a month ago I had a $100 card sale and these four cards are all that remain. In honor of the upcoming Star Wars Blu-ray release, and Clone Wars season 4 starting up, and me needing money for my wedding(!), I'm offering these final four cards for $75 each, or TWO FOR $125.

If interested, send me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com and let me know which card(s) you'd like. Payments can be made via Paypal or personal check.

If you're looking to own a Grant Gould original Topps Star Wars Artist Return Sketch Card, this is an offer you won't want to pass up!

**UPDATE**
All four cards have now been sold.

Dragon Steps

2011-09-08T12:21:00.003-05:00

Just a quick process post, since I'll be away from the internet for a few days and didn't want to leave without posting something new on my site. Pretty standard steps here (start at the bottom and make your way up): pencils, inks, flat colors, extra touches, shading -- and as you can see, at the very end, I played around with color adjustments and ended up scrapping the warm colors for cool colors. Happy accidents. :)

In case anyone's wondering, this dragon pic is related to my upcoming game project Blade Raiders. I'm slowly chipping away at it whenever I find a spare hour or two. Hopefully it'll be debuting next year sometime.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

No Assembly Required: Esau, Exarch of Tharizdun

2011-09-01T08:37:00.000-05:00

Today marks the beginning of a new monthly feature over at myrpgame.com called NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. It's written by my friend Mike, who is the mastermind behind the popular gaming blog "The Id DM." Each month Mike focuses on a new monster, and I'll be doing the illustrations for each one. I designed the logo as well:

It's a really fun project and big thanks to Mike for asking me to be part of it. If you're a gamer/tabletop RPG fan, definitely go bookmark both of these sites. They have tons of amazing, useful content. If you have any friends who are into D&D or other RPGs, please share the links with them, too.

The Id DM: official announcement
&
myrpgame.com: No Assembly Required #1

I thought it'd be fun to show a little behind-the-scenes on each monster, too, as I post them. So here's a look at the (1) thumbnail, (2) sketch, (3) inks, and then (4) final colors for Esau (who was very much inspired by the smoke monster of LOST).
:)

Number Six ~ Battlestar Galactica

2011-08-30T09:21:00.000-05:00

Character drawing/commission for Mike G. Everyone's favorite cylon seductress. :)

11"x17" Glossy Art Prints Available

2011-08-26T21:55:00.001-05:00

Sturdy, high-quality 11"x17" prints. Perfect for framing, or hanging in your cubicle! $20 each +shipping. BUY 2, GET A 3RD FREE! Scroll down for more info.

"Jon Snow & Ghost" (from Game of Thrones)
"Daenerys Stormborn" (from Game of Thrones)

"Tyrion Lannister" (from Game of Thrones)
"Yoda" (Licensed 'Non-Sport Update' Magazine cover)

"Quantum of Sarlacc" (Parody artwork)
"Thrawn Legacy" (Parody artwork)

"Uhura" (from the new Star Trek)
"Doctor Who and Amy Pond" (from the Matt Smith series)

"Starbuck" (Season 2 outfit, from Battlestar Galactica)
"Jack Burton" (from Big Trouble in Little China)

TO ORDER:
Send payment via Paypal to grantgoboom@gmail.com and be sure to include your mailing address as well as a note saying which print(s) you'd like. They are $20 each, and if you buy 2, then you get a 3rd FREE (so three prints = $40 total +shipping).

SHIPPING: Please include $10 for all orders (NOT $10 per print, just $10 per total order) -- this covers packaging, protective cardboard, shipping cost, etc.

Thanks!

Wicked Little Purr-rincess

2011-08-26T20:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when I have a long day of drawing ahead of me, I'll start off by just doodling something fun and random, just to get the juices flowin'. This one's from yesterday.

Recent PWTorch Wrestler Art

2011-08-26T14:30:00.000-05:00

Every few months, the Pro Wrestling Torch crew has me create some new headshot illustrations for their site, newsletters and apps (head to pwtorch.com for more info). I always try to do them in a much more photorealistic style than my usual stuff, which is fun -- I like the variety.

STAR WARS Artist Return Cards $100 SALE

2011-08-11T03:51:00.005-05:00

I wrangled up my remaining Star Wars return cards. These are hand-drawn & colored, one-of-a-kind official Topps sketch cards. Normally I sell these for around $200-250 each, but right now you can get them for $100 each.

CLONE WARS: RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS Ahsoka: Available
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 5 Boba Fett: SOLD
CLONE WARS: RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS Captain Rex: Available
CLONE WARS: RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS Bossk: SOLD
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 6 Rumi, Sugi & Embo: SOLD
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 5 Grievous & Asajj: Available
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 6 Yoda: SOLD
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 6 Darth Maul & Sidious: SOLD
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 6 Boba Fett: Available
STAR WARS GALAXY SERIES 6 Leia & Salacious Crumb: SOLD

***UPDATE***
The four remaining cards (Ahsoka, Rex, Asajj & Boba) have been bumped to THIS POST.

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone."

2011-08-04T18:01:00.003-05:00

Today is my brother Cory's birthday and he's been wanting me to draw some Tyrion fan art (from "Game of Thrones") -- Tyrion's his favorite character. So I took a few hours today to draw this. Cory, I hope ya like it, because you have a big 11"x17" color print-out of it on the way. :) Happy Birthday!

Inspiration: Iain McCaig

2011-08-03T16:20:00.006-05:00

I'm still in post-SDCC catch up mode, but I wanted to share this video -- if you're an artist, or even just a fan of the artistic process, it's worth watching. Iain McCaig (iainmccaig.blogspot.com) is a legend in the industry, not to mention one of the nicest guys on planet Earth. I had the good fortune of meeting him a few years ago and he was incredibly humble, kind, and most of all, positive.

I would also recommend a series of DVDs he released a few years back via www.thegnomonworkshop.com. They're a bit pricey (there are 4 volumes), but if you have the money and are interested in seeing his creative process from rough sketches all the way to the finished art, they're so worth buying. I found his advice to be really inspirational. Anyway, so enjoy some McCaig goodness.

As for me, I'm sorry I'm a bit behind on emails -- will definitely catch up on them soon.
Between catching up on projects, commissions, and planning for a wedding, things are crazy! :)

The Dancer and the Sea Goddess

2011-08-02T14:23:00.002-05:00

A couple sketches from Comic-Con --

Babydoll (from Sucker Punch) for Patrick
and

Tia Dalma (from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) for Leslie.
The Tia headshot was actually drawn on regular white cardstock, I added that parchment-lookin' background in Photoshop just for fun. :) Thanks again, Pat & Leslie!

Back from San Diego

2011-07-26T10:27:00.006-05:00

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to Comic-Con! It was such a fun show, and it was great meeting new people and seeing old friends. I won't go too in-depth here, because (a) I'm too tired to write about everything I saw and did, and (b) I spent most of the show at my table anyway. But here's a quick glimpse at my time in the land of perfect weather --

Some of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars/StarWars.com gang: (L to R) Daniel Falconer, Jeff Carlisle, me, Pablo Hidalgo, and Katie Cook. This was my first time meeting Daniel in person, he's a great guy -- in addition to knowing him thru the Star Wars stuff, I'm also a big fan of his LOTR/Weta work, so I'm glad we finally got to meet.

I always like to give my latest Ahsoka print to the talented and awesome Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka in the Clone Wars & founder of Her Universe girls' clothing line). It was fun to talk to her for a few minutes -- seemed like the Her Universe booth was crazy busy throughout the show (new BSG stuff!). :)

Me and my friend Nessa (facebook.com/nessamau), who I met several years ago because she was sporting a kick-butt Starbuck costume and I had to get a picture of her. So Nessa was working with HBO at Comic-Con and she basically said to me, "Hey, if you want me to try and give a couple of your 'Game of Thrones' prints to the actors, I might be able to do that." And on top of that, she said, "And if you let me take your camera with me tonight, I can take a few photos."

So needless to say, these pics below are the result of that -- and Nessa rocks. I mean, I did make it into the "Game of Thrones" panel and that was insanely cool. But seeing the actors holding my artwork (and they signed some prints for me too) was really awesome. So thank you, Nessa!!! And - holy crap - I'm glad I had a camera on me. :)

Nessa and the amazingly stunningly cute Emilia Clarke, aka Daenerys Targaryen.

Emilia holding up my signed Dany print.

Kit Harington, aka Jon Snow, holding up my Jon & Ghost print. Nessa says he was totally blown away by it, which is so cool and flattering. :) (Sorry for the glare!)

Some more shots of Nessa with various cast members: Lena Headey (Cersei), Jason Momoa (Drogo), Kit Harington (Jon), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion). From everything I heard (and from everything I saw at the GoT panel), the actors were all incredibly nice and funny and cool with fans.

And a parting shot -- Nessa with Jason Momoa and the "Game of Thrones" showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

I printed up some Fangtasia VIP cards and gave one to actress Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Jessica on "True Blood." Any excuse to get her picture, right?

Last but definitely not least, I gotta say thanks to my wonderful booth babe assistant, my fiancé Gina. It was her first time going to SDCC and she dealt with it like a champ. :) (Thanks to Chris Gereke for the left photo.) And thanks to our roomie Uko Smith for putting up with us for almost a week.

That's all I got! Now to try and catch up on some sleep, and emails... and work work work.

Off to San Diego!

2011-07-18T20:50:00.003-05:00

Finishing up some last-minute stuff tonight then leaving tomorrow. Really looking forward to seeing everyone at the CRAZINESS that is Comic-Con! It's gonna be an awesome time. :) I probably won't be online much, but ya never know, I may post a few tweets throughout the show (twitter.com/grantgoboom).

Love & kisses!

Daenerys Stormborn

2011-07-11T08:21:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow's a big day for "Game of Thrones"/A Song of Ice and Fire fans.

My birthday present to myself is that I'm going to take a couple days off this week to do nothing but read the book. I'm temporarily setting aside all my San Diego commissions, all my various projects - just taking a couple days to relax before the Comic-Con craziness and sink back into George R.R. Martin's awesome world. I can't wait. :)

And this Daenerys drawing will be available at Comic-Con as a print (and possibly a bookmark too), so swing on by Artists' Alley table GG-02 and get your khaleesi on!

'Wolves of Odin' ANNOUNCEMENT

2011-07-09T21:22:00.004-05:00

Hey, everyone - Finally, big "Wolves of Odin" news! :)

Several months ago I reported that the "Wolves" sequel was in limbo, mostly due to me having zero time to draw the thing. Well, a bunch of artists stepped up and contacted me, saying they'd love to draw it -- it was beyond flattering. THANK YOU so much to everyone who contacted me. It was really tough trying to narrow down who I thought would be the best fit.

Ultimately I decided to go with Dennis Budd. Not only have I been a longtime fan of his art, but he's done work before with "Wolves" publisher Super Real Graphics, so it was cool to keep it in the family.

So I am VERY HAPPY to announce that book two, "Wolves of Odin: MARAUDERS OF MIDGARD," is now underway, with Dennis onboard! We're going to try our best to have it done for release sometime next year (hopefully San Diego 2012).

For now, enjoy this teaser pic, and of course keep your eyes on my site here, and on WolvesOfOdin.com, and we'll keep you updated every couple months with new info, sneak peeks, etc.

THE WOLVES ARE RETURNING!

The SDCC Scoop

2011-07-07T01:09:00.007-05:00

San Diego Comic-Con is less than two weeks away! (Yikes!) :) Figured I'd better post some info. I will be at Artists' Alley table GG-02, sitting between two of my bestest artist gal pals, Katie Cook & Cat Staggs.

The map below gives you an idea of where we'll be -- the blue area on the far left is Artists' Alley. Click here for a bigger version of the map, full list of artists, etc.

What will I be selling at my table?
I'll have copies of my 2011 sketchbook, my exclusive San Diego sketchbook, and my 160-page Sketchbook Collection: Volume 1, which gathers the past 4 years of sketchbooks into one awesome paperback. (Prices: 2011 sketchbook $20, Collection Vol. 1 $40.) I'll also have a variety of 11"x17" art prints for $20 each (buy 2, get a 3rd FREE), and I'm hoping to have some other really cool goodies (badges, bookmarks, etc.) ranging around $5-$10.

Will I be doing sketches?
Yep, I'll be doing $20 head sketches throughout the show (here's an example). I can't guarantee how many I'll get to each day, as San Diego is cuh-rayyzay. If you want to make sure you get on my sketch list, I'd recommend coming to my table ASAP. Or, if you want, you can Paypal me $20 right now (send to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "SDCC Sketch Reserve") and I'll get your name on the list and mark you down as "paid," should be able to have it ready to pick up by Friday the 22nd.

If you're looking for something more detailed, like a full-body, posed shot, I may be able to take on a few sketches like that. It'll all depend on how busy things are, how backed up my list is, etc. Just head over to my table, tell me what you're interested in, and I'll tell you if I think I can squeeze it in and how much it would be (expect a $50-$100 range). Color sketches won't be an option -- I'm only bringing pencils, inks & a few greyscale markers.

Okay, that's all I can think of. If you have any questions for me, feel free to email: grantgoboom@gmail.com. Oh, and if you're picking something up from me at the show and HAVEN'T gotten an email from me in the last week or so, PLEASE email me. I may need a reminder. This month is crazy-busy and I'd hate to forget to bring something or blank on a sketch, etc.

Thanks, everyone! Looking forward to sunny San Diego insanity. :)

Sketchy Peek

2011-07-06T23:32:00.000-05:00

Somethin' I was working on tonight...

CV Badge Art Originals - Final 2 SALE!

2011-06-30T15:55:00.005-05:00

I have two remaining Star Wars Celebration V badge originals. All of the other originals sold for $300 each, but I'm offering these last two at HALF PRICE.

For $150, you can own one of these two original drawings - Rex or Threepio - AND you get a signed copy of the corresponding badge. These are Lucasfilm-licensed one-of-a-kind collectibles!

If interested, shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "BADGE ORIGINAL" in the subject line. Thanks!

Uhura

2011-06-29T11:10:00.004-05:00

Another long-overdue commission (thanks again for being so patient, Clark!) . I swear, I'm catching up, folks. Slowly but surely. :) Featuring the Zoe Saldana reboot version of Star Trek's sassy, smart 'n' sexy communications officer extraordinaire.

Where all your bloody dreams come true

2011-06-28T00:33:00.005-05:00

This was kind of a random, spur-of-the-moment thing. I may print up some "Fangtasia VIP cards" for all you True Blood fans going to San Diego Comic-Con. :)

Spreadin' the Ned Love

2011-06-15T22:24:00.003-05:00

The guys at Winter-is-Coming.net (a massively popular "Game of Thrones" fan site) asked if they could use my Ned Stark drawing to headline an article, which was very cool and flattering. I love me some WiC. It's one of the few sites I read daily. :) So, here's a link to the article, if you wanna check that out. BEWARE MASSIVE SPOILERS! If you aren't caught up on the show or haven't read the books, DON'T click that link. Bigtime spoilers regarding last sunday's episode, "Baelor."

Those of you heading over from WiC who are checking out my site for the first time, thanks & welcome! :) As an additional GoT-licious bonus, I'll repost my Jon & Ghost piece from a couple months ago. I hope ya like!

Follow me on DeviantArt, Facebook and Twitter!

The Future Mrs. Gould

2011-06-15T00:01:00.003-05:00

I got a little sidetracked this past week, didn't get much work done. I was spending some quality time with the girlfriend. And got engaged!
:)

Back to the art/commission grind tomorrow-ish. Thanks for your patience & support, everyone!

Game of Thrones: The Lord of Winterfell

2011-06-12T13:40:00.005-05:00

“When the snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

– Eddard Stark

Doctor Who and Amy Pond

2011-06-10T13:48:00.003-05:00

I've had a lot of people over the past year asking when I was gonna draw the Matt Smith incarnation of everybody's favorite Time Lord. Here ya go, Whovians! :)

Original Art for Sale ~ Updated

2011-06-07T14:18:00.007-05:00

Here are some original pieces I'm looking to sell. All are on 8.5"x11" cardstock. Email me if interested (grantgoboom@gmail.com) - Thanks!!

GAME OF THRONES: Jon Snow & Ghost - pencil & ink original for this piece. (For an extra $20, buyer can get a signed 11"x17" color print of the final version too.)
$50
STATUS: SOLD

LORD OF THE RINGS: Gothmog & Warg - pencil & ink drawing
$50
STATUS: AVAILABLE

THRAWN LEGACY - These are the original pencil & ink drawings used to create my 'Thrawn Legacy' 2011 sketchbook cover, which is a parody/mashup of 'TRON Legacy' and Heir to the Empire. Buyer gets all three original drawings - click image to see a bigger version. (For an extra $20, buyer can also get either a copy of the sketchbook or a signed 11"x17" full-color print of the final image.)
$75
STATUS: AVAILABLE

OFFICIAL STAR WARS DROID HUNT BADGE ART: Bossk & R2-D2 - pencil & ink, this was the original drawing for the bounty hunter themed 'Droid Hunt' badge created for Celebration V and the 501st.
$50
STATUS: SOLD

TRUE GRIT: Rooster Cogburn - pencil & ink headshot sketch
$30
STATUS: SOLD

Cupid Strikes Back - these two pencil & ink drawings were created for the Naptown Roller Girls' 'Cupid Strikes Back' event (approved by Lucasfilm) - final color version show below. Buyer gets both original drawings.
$50
STATUS: AVAILABLE

SDCC Exclusive Sketchbook!!!

2011-05-26T21:05:00.004-05:00

I've done something this year that I've never done before -- I created a new sketchbook just for the San Diego Comic-Con! 40 pages of new art (most of it never-before-seen by anyone but me), squarebound and magazine sized, and it includes a 1st-ever SNEAK PEEK at my upcoming fantasy project Blade Raiders!

Oh, and if that girl on the cover looks familiar, it's because I based her on a Velma sketch that I drew in Chicago earlier this year. Velma in Fett attire, if you will. ;)

Now, I know a lot of you can't make it to San Diego, so for a VERY LIMITED TIME you, too, will be able to get one of these new sketchbooks. There will be only TWO ways to get this book. Please read the following info carefully:

(1) From now until Monday, June 20th, you can order the book via Paypal.
Send $40 via Paypal (+$5 shipping U.S., +$10 shipping international) to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "SDCC sketchbook" in the subject line. The $40 includes an inked headshot sketch on the 1st page (if you have a preference, be sure to say which character you want, otherwise I'll just surprise ya). All Paypal-ordered books will be mailed the week before SDCC, so you'll get it in the mail around the same time that the show's going on (July 21-24).

(2) After June 20th, San Diego Comic-Con is the ONLY place this book will be available.
Copies will be for sale at my table in Artist Alley. Make sure you get there ASAP, because the books will sell out, and once they're gone, they're gone forever. If you'd like to order one now via Paypal (see above) and have it reserved for pick-up at SDCC, that's fine -- just pay the amount minus shipping, and let me know that it's for pick-up.

Thanks, everyone!
San Diego's coming up fast... :)

Black Cat SpringCon sketch

2011-05-25T19:24:00.002-05:00

One of the headshot sketches I did at last weekend's SpringCon show -- Marvel comics' Black Cat.

Big thanks to everyone who came out to the convention! It was a lot of fun, despite the crazy rainy weather. :) Thanks to the MNCBA guys, too - they always put on a great show.

SpringCon

2011-05-13T16:37:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to remind everyone that SpringCon is coming up next weekend, May 21st & 22nd, from 10am to 5pm both days. I'll have a table there and will be selling sketchbooks and 11"x17" art prints and some other goodies. :) So if you're in the Minnesota area, definitely swing by -- it's always a fun show! For more info, head over to midwestcomicbook.com

Drawing & Coloring Wolverine

2011-05-10T03:14:00.004-05:00

I've gotten so many great comments and emails in the last day about my Arwen video (and requests for a coloring video), so I decided to do another one tonight. Just a quickie Wolverine headshot split into two short videos -- they give you a general idea of what my process is like. Enjoy! :)

Draw, Grant, Draw! •Arwen•

2011-05-08T01:54:00.002-05:00

It's my first ever drawing video! Thought it was about time to test out my camera, etc. Forgive me for the amateur quality, I'm still getting a feel for this webcam/artcast stuff, learnin' as I go. :)

I've been trying to catch up on things, but there will definitely be more videos in the future -- both in this format, and hopefully at some point I'll also get set up on Ustream or something similar and record some live shows. Anyway, more on that later. Thanks for watching!

Future Ahsoka

2011-05-04T05:59:00.003-05:00

Inspired by the glimpse we get of a possible future Ahsoka in the Clone Wars episode 'Overlords.'

May the 4th be with you!

"Valsedian Operation" comes to a close

2011-04-28T23:41:00.005-05:00

StarWars.com just posted the final chapter to the latest Clone Wars webcomic series, the 75-page "Valsedian Operation" storyline, featuring art by Tom Hodges and coloring/lettering by me. As always, you can find it over at starwars.com/clonewars/comic

Big thanks to Pablo Hidalgo and Tom Hodges for having me be part of the team. And thanks to all the webcomic fans out there! Hopefully there will be more comin' in the future. :)

The Bettie Page Private Collection

2011-04-28T21:11:00.003-05:00

Here's a look at my base card art for this summer's Bettie Page trading card set. I'll also have Artist Return Sketch Cards -- I should have more info to post in May or June. :)

Sneak Peek

2011-04-22T12:16:00.001-05:00

Follow me on Twitter

2011-04-17T16:24:00.002-05:00

I finally joined Twitter. Follow me! :)
twitter.com/grantgoboom

Spring Cleaning - $45 Special Offer!

2011-04-13T14:47:00.008-05:00

Hi, everyone -- So here's the deal. I was going through some boxes and I found a massive pile of drawings. I mean, literally probably a couple hundred 8.5"x11" sheets of artwork. Some Star Wars stuff (from tutorials, the "Draw Clone Wars" book, etc.), some fan art, some fantasy stuff. Way too much stuff to list individually or put on eBay or anything like that. I also found a pile of my old "Wraith" comics, and a stack of 2004 sketchbooks. So here's my SPRING CLEANING offer --

For $45 +shipping you will receive:

- FOUR (4) random, original drawings by me. They range from about 2004-2010, it's all random - whatever I grab from the pile. I'll do my best to grab stuff I think you'll enjoy. :)
- 1 copy of my 2002 full-color "Wraith" comic book. Ashcan-sized, written & drawn by me. Old school Grant action!
- 1 copy of my 2004 sketchbook. This was my 1st actual convention sketchbook! I've only got about 20 of these, so it's first come first serve on the '04 sketchbooks. If I run out, I'll replace it with an extra drawing.
- And whatever other goodies I decide to throw in there, like Topps cards, promo cards, whatever.

IMPORTANT:

Please send your Paypal order to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "Spring Cleaning" in the subject line. If you're in the U.S., please add $5 for packaging/shipping, or if you're outside the U.S., please add an extra $10. Artwork will be shipped 1st Class USPS in protective mailer envelopes.

Here's a look at the covers of the "Wraith" comic and the 2004 sketchbook:

Send me an email if you have any questions.
Thanks!

Bastard Son of the North

2011-04-05T05:48:00.002-05:00

A little something I did for fun tonight, inspired by the Jon Snow 'Game of Thrones' sketch I did at C2E2.

If anyone's interested in buying an 11"x17" art print of this piece, you can send Paypal to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "Jon Snow 11x17" in the subject line. $20 plus $5 shipping in the U.S. or $10 shipping international. Or if you'd rather send a check, just email me.

BIG NEWS: Jawa Rebellion

2011-04-01T00:22:00.004-05:00

I'm really excited that I can finally talk about my new project -- I'm illustrating an all-new Star Wars series called "Jawa Rebellion," written by the amazing Jay Diddilo. Fans have been waiting a long time to see the epic uprising of the jawas against the Empire and I'm just humbled that I was chosen to be the one to bring that to life in comic form.

And of course the super exciting news is that it all ties in to next year's live-action TV series, Ronto Dawn. I better not say any more, Lucasfilm's keeping a very tight lid on all this...

(P.S. April Fool's.) :P

Thank you, Chicago!

2011-03-21T21:57:00.002-05:00

I'm back from C2E2, and it was a fantastic show! What a great way to kick off 2011. THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by my table. It was such a blast meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, and chatting with fellow artists.

Thought I'd post a few convention sketches that I did over the weekend --

Jon Snow - my 1st official Game of Thrones convention sketch request!! :)

DC character Pantha

Cassie from "Hack/Slash"

Velma! :) Love me some Velma.

Couple other cool moments from the show:

I created an exclusive 'Helo' print for C2E2, since Tahmoh Penikett (the actor who plays Helo in 'Battlestar Galactica') was going to be a guest there. I managed to get a copy of the print over to him and chatted for a few seconds. He's a super-friendly guy.

Last but not least, I was interviewed by Jimmy Mac from the ForceCast, the #1 Star Wars podcast. It's always good to see Jimmy -- I gave him my opinions on the second half of Clone Wars season 3. Should be a fun show! Keep your eye out for the C2E2 coverage episode at ForceCast.net.

At C2E2, it's all in the reflexes.

2011-03-15T21:26:00.005-05:00

I did this drawing of Jack Burton (from Big Trouble In Little China) last year, but I thought I'd snazz it up a bit and make it into a new 11"x17" print for C2E2.

I'll have a wide variety of 11"x17" prints available at the show, all printed on sturdy high-quality gloss cardstock -- $20 each -- Buy two and get a third free!

Hope to see ya there. :) I'll be in Artist Alley, just look for the banner that says "Grant Gould."

Behind the Screen!

2011-03-13T14:27:00.004-05:00

My cousin-in-law and good friend Mike started up a new blog to share his thoughts and tips for Dungeon Mastering (Dungeons & Dragons). I created this little lich character to be his site mascot, and created the banner. I LOVE drawing super-cartoony characters like this, so it was lots of fun. If you're a D&D lover or a DM, head on over to The Id DM and add it to your bookmarks: theiddm.wordpress.com :)

Here's a look at the pencil & inks of Iddy the Lich:

BSG Helo C2E2 Print

2011-03-12T21:24:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite Battlestar actors, Tahmoh Penikett (aka Helo), is going to be a guest at C2E2 next week, so I created this exclusive print. It's 11"x17" on cardstock, LIMITED to 20 signed & numbered copies, $20 a piece.

These prints are only available at the show. Hurry over to my table in Artist Alley to grab one before they're gone!

Star Wars Galaxy 6 Artist Return Cards

2011-03-06T03:09:00.006-06:00

Here are more of my Artist Return Cards from the Star Wars Galaxy Series 6 trading card set. Hand-drawn and colored by me, $200 each. Email me at grantgoboom@gmail.com if interested.

Boba Fett: SOLD
Savage Opress: SOLD
Yoda & Aayla Secura: SOLD
Rumi, Sugi & Embo: AVAILABLE

Imperial Pilot (Grant Gould/Jason Keith Phillips collab): SOLD
Darth Maul: SOLD

The Fett and Ahsoka/Plo Koon cards that I posted a few days ago have been sold.
Thanks, folks!

Two Weeks Until C2E2

2011-03-03T20:23:00.003-06:00

March 18 - 20, in the awesome McCormick Place/West Building in downtown Chicago -- I had such a great time at C2E2 last year, I'm really happy to be going again. And it's almost here! Figured I'd better post some info... I will be in the Artist Alley section at table "H5," sitting across from fellow Star Wars artist Dave Dorman. I plan on being at the show from start to finish, selling prints and sketchbooks. I am planning on doing a handful of black & white/greyscale bust sketches -- but there's always a chance my list will fill up or I'll run out of time. If you're going to the show and definitely want a sketch from me, and you have Paypal, I'd say pre-ordering is something you might want to do -- that way it'll be done and ready to go when you come up to my table. If you have any other questions about the show, feel free to email me or check out the C2E2 website: c2e2.com

Thanks, folks! :)

Excited for "Game of Thrones" :)

2011-03-03T15:58:00.004-06:00

Over the past few months I've been catching up on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, which is now becoming an HBO show called "Game of Thrones" (premieres next month). I'm completely addicted. I'm almost done with the third one, "Storm of Swords," and every chapter is amazing. Obviously I want the show to be a huge hit, because I want to see the epic goodness onscreen, and it's about damn time we had an adult fantasy series that wasn't cheesy as hell. So here's me spreading the word.

It's a dark, gritty, dramatic, surprising, character-driven story that gets more epic in scale from book to book. I highly recommend it. Check it out!!!

'Happy Little Accidents' podcast with me & Hodges

2011-03-02T16:04:00.003-06:00

My pal (and a talented artist in his own right) Anton Peck has started up a new podcast focusing on illustration -- it's called "Happy Little Accidents." For the first episode he chatted with me and my Lucasfilm co-worker/super-dork Tom Hodges. Click here to check it out! (Rated PG for some adult talk... Nothing too bad.) :)

Star Wars Galaxy 6 Return Cards

2011-02-28T17:28:00.006-06:00

These are four of my Artist Return Cards from the Star Wars Galaxy Series 6 trading card set. All hand-drawn and colored by me. The first card -- Imperial Pilot -- is a special collab card, pencilled by my pal and fellow Topps artist Jason Keith Phillips and then inked and colored by me.

If you're interested in buying any of these, they're first come, first serve -- $200 each. Shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com with "SWG6 ARTIST RETURN CARD" in the subject line. Thanks!

UPDATE:
I posted new cards with updated info. Please head on over to this link! :)

Star Wars Galaxy 6, base card art

2011-02-21T15:24:00.002-06:00

Here's a look at my base card for the Star Wars Galaxy 6 set, which comes out early next month. I submitted a few ideas to Topps, and this is the one my editor wanted me to run with -- It's a glimpse at a younger Obi-Wan and Satine, along with Qui-Gon Jinn. In the Clone Wars cartoon, we're introduced to Duchess Satine and learn that years earlier, the Republic had sent Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to Mandalore to protect her for a year, during a time of Mandalorian civil war. Obi-Wan and the duchess developed strong feelings for each other, but ultimately - as we know - he chose the Jedi path.

Galaxy 6 Sketchagraphs

2011-02-17T14:17:00.004-06:00

I was one of 22 artists selected by Topps to do some "sketchagraph" cards, which are new inserts for Galaxy 6 (very rare, from what I understand: 1 in every 135 packs) featuring an authentic signature from a Star Wars actor along with an original sketch by the artist. Here's a look at 7 of my 40 sketchagraphs:

The list of signers includes:
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker)
Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia)
Ray Park (Darth Maul)
Jake Lloyd (Episode 1 Anakin Skywalker)
Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti)
Amy Allen (Aayla Secura)
Jon Berg (FX artist, cantina creature actor)
John Morton (Dack Ralter)
Mike Quinn (Puppeteer: Sy Snootles, Nien Nunb & more)

I did 2 of Mark Hamill's, 3 of Carrie Fisher's, and 5 of everyone else's (I think everyone had these same ratios). Basically Topps had the actors sign the cards in advance, then sent the cards to the artists -- so it's a pretty fun concept. Hopefully people will enjoy them. I believe Star Wars Galaxy 6 begins shipping in early March. I'll post more info soon. :)

Dwarf Character Sketch

2011-02-12T11:09:00.002-06:00

Doodled up between jobs.

Star Wars Valentines

2011-02-08T17:17:00.004-06:00

Break out the roses and the chocolates, Valentine's Day is almost upon us, and once again, StarWars.com has posted up some print-ready cards created by me. :) Click here to check 'em out!

7 Steps: From Pencil Sketch to Digital Colors

2011-02-05T23:58:00.006-06:00

Here's a quick behind-the-scenes look at the image I posted a few days ago. This is a really simplified run-through, so if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Step 1: I begin with a pencil sketch (oftentimes a thumbnail and then a sketch, but in this particular case, I skipped the thumbnail). I use a blue pencil, but I figured I'd switch it to greyscale here so you can see the lines more easily. My blue pencil lines are usually pretty light and loose.

Step 2: I ink over my pencil lines with a Faber-Castell Pitt brush pen. I'm not the best inker in the world, so I rely on my coloring to hopefully make it look halfway decent in the end. :)

Step 3: I scan my drawing into Photoshop. I have a small scanner, so if I draw on an 11"x17" (like I did with this one) then I scan it in pieces and have to assemble to image in Photoshop. I use the adjustment settings to get rid of my blue pencil lines so that only the black brush lines are showing, and clean up the art a bit if need be.

Step 4: I create a "multiply" layer and add in all my color flats. I basically just take my lasso tool and use it to select areas then fill them in.

Step 5: I add in my shading and some details, such as the girl's eyes.

Step 6: I throw some color in the background, add some coverups and mess with opacities, new layers, shines, etc. Honestly, this is where I start to do the most experimenting and playing around. Happy accidents. It's the beautiful thing about digital coloring.

Step 7: Typically I'll do at least a little bit of color adjusting at the end. There are features under the "image" option in the toolbar, or "photo filters." They can really breathe some extra life into your art -- make it warmer, or more gloomy, or colder. Anyway, once I've played a bit with the color adjustments, I'll do last-minute edits here and there, and that's about it.

Obviously, there are a trillion different ways to do digital coloring. I'm not claiming my methods are the best (I know they're definitely not the fastest). You just have to play around and find what works best for you, with the tools you have. Learn from my mistakes! Haha :)

Blast from the past: 2004

2011-02-03T00:41:00.005-06:00

I was going through some old disks tonight, and found these pages I'd done for my (never published) fantasy comic. I don't think I ever showed these before, so I thought it'd be fun to post 'em now. :) These were drawn over six years ago, back when I used to ink with Uni-ball fine tip pens and Sharpies. I guess those Uni-balls did the trick, but - yikes - thinking about it now makes me cringe.

"Wolves of Odin" (Non-)Update

2011-02-01T13:14:00.004-06:00

It's been about 6 months since my last WoO update, so here's the scoop on where I'm at. My goal was to have it done by end of winter so that it could hopefully be printed by summer/San Diego Comic-Con, but... yeah, that's just not happening. I've been too busy with Lucasfilm work and Topps cards and commissions and whatever else. I haven't been able to carve out the time.

The good news is: I've written the story, the outline's all set. It's just a matter of drawing the thing.

Awhile back I asked my pal Matt Goodmanson if he'd be interested in drawing it. We've been collaborating on nerdy little fantasy projects (that never seem to see the light of day) for years, and I absolutely love his style, and I thought he'd be an awesome fit. Here's a sample page that he did:

Unfortunately, time is the enemy. Matt has a little kid and is a busy man, and it was just hard to get anything rolling.

So who knows... At this point I can't map out when exactly a new "Wolves of Odin" book will be coming out. I can't for sure say if I'll be drawing it when it does. I mean, if Matt suddenly finds a big chunk of free time and is willing to illustrate the book, I would be all over that! (Or if someone else out there really wants to draw it and submits some art to me and I'm blown away by it, and they understand that there's no pay involved, well, I'd certainly have an open mind to that.) So it's all up in the air.

I wish I had more solid news for you, folks, but that's where we're at. WoO2 is in limbo. Personal projects have to take a backseat to jobs that pay the bills. As always, I'll keep you posted if/when anything changes.

~~~
By the way, if you're reading all this and wondering, What the heck is 'Wolves of Odin'? -- it's a graphic novella I wrote and drew back in 2008, published by SRG, and you can order it over at wolvesofodin.com

Cupid Strikes Back - Naptown Roller Girls

2011-01-21T00:14:00.005-06:00

I created this piece for the Naptown Roller Girls -- they have an event coming up called "Cupid Strikes Back" and wanted something that mixed a roller girl with Empire. So here's the result, you can see the final image I submitted above (click it to see a larger version), and then their designer tinkered with the art and put together this poster you see below:

And here's the B&W t-shirt art (you can find more details by clicking the NRG link:

P.S. You'll be able to see the pencil sketch and inks for this piece in my 2011 sketchbook, so be sure to grab a copy!
:)

Winter blues? Treat yourself to a piece of Star Wars Celebration history!

2011-01-19T18:20:00.002-06:00

I have two last Star Wars Celebration V badge art originals for sale: C-3PO and Captain Rex.

Each drawing is on 8.5"x11" cardstock and sells for $300. And I've set aside a C-3PO and Rex badge, so each piece will get its accompanying badge -- they look great framed together. This is your perfect opportunity to own an official, unique Star Wars collectible!

I also still have some complete sets of the 17 regular badges available for $100 per set.

If you're interested in either a CV badge original or a complete set, shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "CV Badges" in the subject line. Thanks!
:)

2011 Sketchbook

2011-01-15T15:31:00.004-06:00

My new 2011 sketchbook is now available to order! For those that might not know, this year marks the 20th anniversary of Heir to the Empire, the book that kicked off the popular "Thrawn Trilogy" and a much-needed return to the world of Star Wars. So, in keeping with my sketchbook parody cover theme of years past, I did a parody of the Tron Legacy poster featuring "Thrawn Trilogy" characters.

Like last year's "Inglourious Lizerds," the book is an 8.5"x11" format with color covers and b&w interiors. Here's a look at 6 of the 48 pages:

I'm not offering customized headshot sketches this time around. I just have too much to catch up on and don't want to fall behind on shipping books. (Speaking of which, if you're still waiting on a 2010 sketchbook order, PLEASE shoot me an email so I can get that taken care of.)

My plan is to ship orders the month AFTER -- so all orders I receive in January will ship in February, all orders from Feb. will ship in March, etc. This way I get copies printed as needed, both for online orders and conventions.

So if you'd like to be among the first wave of 2011 sketchbooks being shipped out next month, get your order in by the last day of January!

To order:
Send Paypal order to grantgoboom@gmail.com and write "2011 sketchbook" in the subject line. Be sure your snail mail address is included. The books are $20 each plus $5 shipping within the U.S., or $10 shipping outside the U.S.

If you would rather send a personal check, just email me at grantgoboom@gmail.com and I'll provide you with more info.

Copies of my 2010 sketchbook are still available as well - they're $20 each, same as the new ones :)

Thanks, everyone!

Lieutenant of Morgul

2011-01-14T13:46:00.002-06:00

Aah, Gothmog. One of my favorites. So lumpy and eeeevil. :)
This is part of a larger "Lord of the Rings" drawing I made exclusively for my new sketchbook (details coming soon).

How To Draw Savage Opress

2011-01-13T23:59:00.002-06:00

My newest kids' drawing tutorial has been posted at StarWars.com, this time featuring the new Clone Wars baddie Savage Opress -- Click here to check it out!

The Queen of Pinups

2011-01-06T19:10:00.003-06:00

I did some artwork for the upcoming "Bettie Page: Private Collection." It's the 1st officially licensed Bettie Page card set in 15 years, and - hide the kids - it's for mature collectors only.

You can find more info, sneak peeks, and a complete artist list over at versicolorproductions.com/bettie-page. The set's coming out in June, so for now, all I'm allowed to show is the headshot above (which is part of a larger full-body piece that I did). Anyway, go click on the "shop" link on their site and get your order in. It's gonna be a cool set, and I'm guessing it'll sell out pretty quickly.
:)

"He's more machine now than man; twisted and evil."

2011-01-06T00:40:00.001-06:00

Ranger of the North

2011-01-03T22:14:00.003-06:00

In honor of today being J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday, here's a new Aragorn sketch (coloring added in Photoshop).

"A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you - Stand, Men of the West!"

My Favorite Stuff From 2010

2011-01-03T00:43:00.004-06:00

I know all the cool kids like to make fun of these "best of" lists, but I don't care -- I still think they're fun. :) So here's my list of the stuff that entertained me the most in 2010!

Inception
Obviously this movie made a huge impact, and I was one of the millions of people who was pretty blown away by it. The dream levels concept and the tragedy of Leo's limbo stuck with me long after I left the theater. Really cool to see a movie come along that actually makes you think a bit.

True Grit
I am a sucker for westerns, and this movie was everything I wanted it to be. It left me wanting MORE Rooster Cogburn! :) The Coen brothers have a way of making every line of dialogue and every character interesting and quirky. Loved Matt Damon in this flick. And Hailee Steinfeld -- I think we can all agree she's got a pretty amazing career ahead of her.

The Social Network
I feel like this was the most important movie of 2010. It says so much about relationships and the way people act and operate today. Props to Trent Reznor for the awesome score, and of course the actors are all great. You don't know who to cheer for, because there isn't really a hero or a villain -- there's just greed and revenge and bitterness and the desire to be accepted and loved.

HONORABLE MENTION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
Originally I was going to put this in my top three, but I wanted to make room for True Grit, so I'm bumping it to Honorable Mention -- which is okay, because I have no doubt "part two" will be in my top three movies of 2011, and these two movies are essentially one big one. So, yeah, I thought Deathly Hallows "part one" was fantastic. My favorite of the HP films so far, which isn't surprising, because Deathly Hallows was my favorite of the books. Loved it.

HONORABLE MENTION: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
A lot of people overlooked this flick, and a lot of people didn't "get" this flick... That's cool if you're one of those people. But I personally thought it was really stinkin' FUN. I'm a fan of the comics, and it's a pretty faithful adaptation. I really dug it. If there was an award for "Most Awesomely Entertaining Goofy Fun Movie of 2010," it'd be Scott Pilgrim all the way.

How To Train Your Dragon
C'mon, you mix vikings and dragons, add in some killer 3D animation, give it a great soundtrack, along with one of the coolest final battles ever seen in a kids' movie, sprinkle in some emotional moments and tons of humor = you get a winner, baby! If you haven't seen this movie, then you are missing out on a new classic.

Toy Story 3
I have to admit, I wasn't a huuuge fan of the first two Toy Story movies. They were good, but I didn't love 'em. This 3rd one, however, did the trick. It's sort of the perfect "coming of age/passing the torch" story. It's got thrills, laughs, and sniffles.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
A surprisingly dark movie (very Secret of NIMH-ish), but that's not a bad thing -- I really loved it. It starts off a bit slowly, but I definitely came away from it impressed. Really great visuals, action, and CG animation.

A Game of Thrones
When I heard that HBO was planning a new fantasy series based on George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels, I knew I had to check it out. I saw the cover art of the first book (shown above) and cringed -- I almost didn't read it because the cover was so frickin' ugly. :P Fortunately I pressed on, and holy crap, I'm glad I did, what an amazing book. Easily one of the best novels I've ever read, and I'm already making my way through book 2, and I can't wait for the HBO series to start in a couple months. :)

The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
My wonderful girlfriend got this for me for Christmas, and needless to say, it's pretty much the most awesome behind-the-scenes book ever created. If you're a Star Wars fan (or even just a cinema nerd), you really should quit whatever it is you're doing and go buy this thing. It's worth the hefty price tag.

Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes
Everyone in the world of comic books is familiar with Adam Hughes and his ridiculous mountains of talent. What everyone might NOT know is that this book is a treasure trove of prelims and sketches, not to mention a collection of Adam's best work at DC, plus a ton of interesting and witty commentary by the man himself. It's a beautiful, awesome book, and a must-own for AH! fans and art lovers alike.

TRON Legacy soundtrack ~ Daft Punk
I've listened to this CD a lot since I got it, and every single time, it makes me feel like I'm suddenly in some awesome sci-fi '80s movie. Daft Punk stole the show with this one. Say what you will about TRON: Legacy (I thought it was dumb but fun) -- this score is epic.

All You Need Is Now ~ Duran Duran
Speaking of all things '80s-licious, Duran Duran released their latest album, and it's pretty damn good. It definitely feels like a return to form, in the sense that they're re-embracing their "Rio" roots.

Endlessly ~ Duffy
Been waiting for her new CD for, like, everrrr. It finally came out in late 2010, and it's great. I can't say I like it as much as her 1st album, but it's still Duffy, and I luvs me some Duffy.

HONORABLE MENTION: How To Destroy Angels
I need to mention HTDA because (a) "The Space In Between" and "A Drowning" were two of my favorite songs in 2010, and (b) I love Trent Reznor.

Mad Men ~ Season 4
I enjoyed the first 3 seasons of Mad Men, but the show really stepped it up a notch and blew me away with season 4. It got me emotionally invested in the fall and rise (and fall) of Don Draper. One particular episode - "The Suitcase" - was one of the best, most powerful hours of television I'd ever seen. Kudos to AMC.

The Walking Dead ~ Season 1
More kudos to AMC for making this show happen. I'm a fan of the comics, so I know how dark and disturbing this series will likely become -- and so far, I've been very impressed with what they've done. In a lot of ways, I think the show is an improvement on the comics. I care about the characters more, and it's great acting and directing and storytelling that turn a somewhat generic zombie survival tale into something gripping and emotional. And as a BSG geek, I must also give kudos to composer Bear McCreary for doing an excellent job with the score. Can't wait for season 2!

Californication ~ Season 3
Technically this aired in 2009, but I just watched it on DVD last month, so I'm counting it as 2010. Either way, Californication remains one of my favorite shows on TV. It's funny, it's twisted, it's filled with great characters, and it delivers the occasional emotional punch right when you least expect it. Never before has a show been so inappropriate for children, and yet deliver so many valuable life lessons. :P

HONORABLE MENTION: Tosh.0 ~ Season 2
I gotta at least mention Tosh.0, because that show made me laugh harder than anything else I saw in 2010. Every episode had at least 3 or 4 gems in it. Can't wait for season 3!

And finally, I have to mention LOST. I gotta admit, my love for the show took a few blows over the past couple years... Season 5 really frustrated me, and the beginning of season 6 still left me scratching my head. BUT season 6 did quickly get better, and my love for LOST returned, slowly but surely. I REALLY loved the finale. I've heard all the complaints from the angry fans, and, yes, I agree - they could've answered more questions and all that jazz. But for me, I just wanted emotional closure with the characters, and that's what I got. It was a beautiful ending.

So I may have my issues with season 5 and early season 6, but over all, LOST as a series will always rank among my favorites. It was appointment television, which is pretty rare for me. Thanks for the wild ride, Losties!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T14:52:00.002-06:00

Rooster Cogburn from the movie True Grit.

I hope you all had a fun and exciting New Year's Eve. I actually had a pretty mellow night. Caught a nasty cold a few days ago and have been recovering from that. But I'm feelin' better today, and ready to get back on track and make 2011 one heckuva great year. My New Year's Resolution (aside from being more organized and catching up on commissions and all the usual stuff) is to POST MORE OFTEN here on my site. So stay tuned! :)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Sith-mas

2010-12-21T11:04:00.002-06:00

First and foremost, I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! I know I, for one, will be taking a few deep breaths this week to relax and enjoy the company of loved ones. :)

Now, I know some of you are still waiting on commissions, email replies, etc. Again, thank you all so much for being patient with me. Life and Lucasfilm and Topps (and whoever/whatever else) are relentless in their pursuit to keep me busy 24-7. Being a fulltime freelancer and learning how to juggle a million things sure is something that takes time to master, and I'm still learning as I go.

Lots going on, and lots coming up in January, including some awesome Clone Wars stuff AND the debut of my new SKETCHBOOK (which I'm really excited about -- and some of you who've been waiting on commissions will be getting a free early copy)! It's weird being super busy but not being able to show the work yet (for example, I just finished up a Bettie Page base card that I can't show 'til June!). So keep GrantGould.com on your bookmarks and check back regularly throughout 2011 -- it's going to be a great year!

Thank you all so much for your support -- and happy holidays!

Star Wars Celebration V Signed Badge Sets - Now Available!

2010-12-14T01:04:00.003-06:00

As many of you know, I created the artwork for 2010's official Star Wars Celebration V badges. Lucasfilm sent me a few sets, so I'm going to offer them up for sale. $100 per set, and each badge will be signed by me in the lower front corner (or back, if you prefer). Shoot me an email at grantgoboom@gmail.com with "CV BADGE SET" in the subject line if you'd like to buy one.

Please note that these sets I'm selling include the 17 regular badges, as pictured above. These sets do not include the "Jedi Master" (Mace) and "Jedi Knight" (Aayla) badges, which were exclusive V.I.P. purchases. I only have ONE of each of those two V.I.P. badges and am asking $250 each. Email me if interested.
UPDATE: The "Jedi Master" badge has been sold. Aayla is still available.

Rest In Peace, Irvin Kershner

2010-11-29T15:50:00.002-06:00

This year the Star Wars community has been celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back... and now we say goodbye to director Irvin Kershner. Very sad, and strangely poetic. :(

[ cinemablend.com link ]

Drawing Ahsoka Tano's New Look

2010-11-24T19:55:00.002-06:00

My latest "How To Draw" kids' feature is online at StarWars.com -- this time featuring Ahsoka's new season 3 look. Click here to check it out!