My Neighbor Gengar Print

 

Print now available in my inprnt shop

Fowlers End

 

New cover for Valancourt Books. Looks like I'll be having more of Valancourt's covers to show in the future, really happy for the partnership.  This novel takes place at a silent film theater in a dingy part of london, hence the visual. 

 

You can see some cover concepts here.

Available on Amazon.

Faith in Downtown logo

Logo for The Community Church for a meeting group they put together.

That symbol is the Tumbler in Springfield MO

The Cormorant

New cover I made for Valancourt Books, hopefully I'll be getting to do more with them, I really enjoyed this one.
You can see some cover concepts here.

Available on Amazon as an ebook and paperback.

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

Simple ebook cover I made for Pelta Books.

Available here

Joker

Quick marker sketch that someone requested, with a quick color job in PS

Tsathoggua

  

Clark Ashton Smith's creation in the Cthulhu Mythos.

Kind of a cute little guy for an Old One.

Original inks for sale here

Simple Machines

Here's another interactive 12 page children's book I did for Amazon (like this other one). 

I was afraid the topic would be a bit boring but I actually really enjoyed putting together

how all these simple machines work in one setting, around and in a tree house. 

The Rube Goldberg machine was fun to figure out how to work.

Available now

Happy Easter

Original inks on sale here

This makes 4 years in a row of me posting a portrait of Jesus for Easter.

(You can see the previous years here - 2010, 2011, 2012)

Even though I post a portrait every year I never really say anything other than 'Happy Easter'.

I'd like to change that this year. If you've followed my blog for any period of time I'm sure you've seen 'religious' art here and there and could gather that I have a Christian belief.

Honestly the word Christian at this point in the world has so many negative stereotypes that I'm not thrilled with it, but regardless, from what Christianity actually is, despite how it is portrayed in the media and by those who abuse it, I am a Christian.

I've only recently discovered God, as of 10 years ago, which seems like a while now but it wasn't until my adulthood that I learned about who he is. I was your typical American who probably believed in a 'god', but didn't think he cared much for me, perhaps he just made the world and then walked away. Set the clockwork into motion and then moved on to more important things. I had the typical questions and complaints, like why do terrible things happen? Natural disasters or school shootings, if there's a god whats the deal with all that, shouldn't he be intervening?

Those things gave me reasons to disbelieve or at the very least dislike a god who is actually there and not care enough to help out. I didn't want to have anything to do with a God like that. And hasn't the bible changed after all these years? Can we trust some document that a bunch of people wrote thousands of years ago. And whats with all this hate for homosexuals? I think people should be treated with respect despite their life choices, and one religion shouldn't shove their belief system on a person who doesn't share it. But as a Christian apparently I should hold a sign that says god hates gays right? Again, thats the kind of 'religion' I didn't want to have anything to do with, thats a god I don't want to know.

Oh and the rules, soo many rules. I won't have a good life if I join up with Christianity. I won't have fun, I won't be fulfilled. I'll just feel guilty all the time and burdened by requirements and traditions.

Even further, I'm not one likes to live life ignorantly of his surroundings. How can these people who believe in God not see how science doesn't make room for him? Hasn't science disproved him by now? He said he made the world in 6 days, and science tells us its been billions of years so did he lie? And what about evolution? I could go on and on. And I did.

And yet, ten years ago something significant happened.

I heard about Christ. What he did and what it meant, and then its like I saw what was really going on in the world for the first time.

Its a bit hard to describe, if you don't believe in God or think its all a fairy tale. Then yeah, I realize this all sounds stupid. Thats fine, I felt the same way up until that moment 10 years ago. But when you actually experience it, its hard to discount. You become a new man, something inside of you changes and its very bizarre.

Some things that were part of me before knowing Christ suddenly were gone, and its not because I was handed a rulebook and it said what I should and shouldn't do. It's because something inside, in my heart, actually changed and my wants and desires changed along with it.

I'm lucky in a way that I didn't grow up with the tradition of church or god, being taught what the rules man made are, what Christians were and weren't supposed to do. I grew up normally, public school, science solves everything, etc. So I didn't have the preconceived notions of how it all worked and how to further the stereotype. I've learned the rules and guilt that I assumed were there isn't actually, that it isn't about following some religion, its about having a relationship with an actual person, the creator of the universe.

Now, its easy for someone to say, oh well maybe you were just at a low time in your life and you needed something to make you feel good, so God became that crutch. I hardly think thats the truth. I find it funny when atheists shout about how anyone who believes in God is ignorant, a wise and intelligent person wouldn't buy into that myth, its just for the feeble minded. But then I read books or listen to lectures and debates by scientists at the head of their fields whom are also Christians, and sometimes come to that belief because of their science. And I think, really? These genius's that are at the top, they're idiots?

Hardly. 

I think it all comes down to a matter of the heart, if you don't want there to be a God you'll live like that. You just want to have your life without any responsibility and so no matter what is presented to you, yeah your not going to believe it, its all nonsense. But if you are in the least bit curious, and aren't so close minded that there can't be a spiritual reality beyond what we see. I can happily suggest authors and speakers and scientists and mathematicians and professors, (people you might take more seriously than some guy who draws pictures) who can explain how God does make sense and is reasonable in regards to science and things beyond just our feelings. And that once someone believes in Jesus, 'gets saved' as the phrase goes, their life will be completely different. And you'll finally feel fulfilled.

Ravi Zacharias writes, “God has put enough into this world to make faith in him a most reasonable thing. But he has left enough out to make it impossible to live by reason alone.”

After becoming a believer I've yet to come across anything that makes me think, man you know I wish I didn't believe in Christ because now I can't do such and such a thing. There's no thing anyone can suggest that I feel I'm missing out on. So I don't think thats a valid complaint either, its more of an excuse. Once again its a heart issue. We put all these road blocks of why we don't like the God of the bible, or believe in Christ when really if those 'problems' were solved and questions answered, would we suddenly believe? I doubt it, I think we'd all still hold out because no one wants to be held accountable or submit to anyone but themselves.

What I'd suggest to anyone whos reading this, is try and disregard any past negative experience you've had regarding the church, put the false images the media has given you on Christanity aside, anyone who's misused God or the bible for their own political reasons or hasn't acted much like how you think a 'Christian' should, forget it. Start fresh with all that put out of your mind for a moment, sit and ask "Jesus, if you really are real, please reveal yourself to me." If you ask that honestly, and you really want to know if he's real and this whole thing is worth looking into, he's going to answer you. He answered me, and millions of others.

He won't turn anyone away, regardless of how skeptical they come to him regardless of who they are and what they've done.

Geez, this has become way longer than I intended, I'm not the most eloquent with my words so I tend to waffle around.. but the point I'm trying to say is there are legitimate answers to questions about God, and asking questions is good. I'd have drawn all of this if I could convey it with a picture (and perhaps thats all this portrait is) but I'll end this here so you can get on with your day. 

I'd be happy to talk further about my faith and journey or answer any questions if anyone would like, feel free to email me at corleyms (at) yahoo (dot) com. I might not know all the answers but I'll do my best to direct you to where any I don't know are.

I want to end this with telling you, just in case you've never heard it before reading this now, there IS a God, and he sent his son Jesus to die on a cross to save you from your sins. The bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Then you will have eternal life.

C. S. Lewis wrote, "Christ died for men precisely because men are not worth dying for; to make them worth it." He is real, he does love you, and there are answers to your questions and everything I've brought up at the start of this. All my original concerns and complaints. Just seek them out, the truth exists.

There is a purpose to the universe and your life.

This is a great video about the Gospel if your unfamiliar on what Jesus did for us and what it means for us all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QaOnN5tF5ak

Happy Easter

Easter Poster

Poster for my friends church.
You can listen to the message that corresponds to it here.
Listen to it while you work (if you have that ability), its not too long and its guaranteed to make you think.

The Cheeky Detective

Here's a short preview of a 12 page comic I recently worked on for Dark Horse.
The story was for Jane Espenson and Brad Bell's series Husbands. The comic was a spinoff from the web series and there are a bunch of different genre cliche stories in the book, I got to work on the Sherlock spoof which was right up my alley and a lot of fun.

Thanks to Sierra Hahn, Jane and Brad for the opportunity.

The trade is out now, cheap on amazon so go pick it up!

Hellboy vs Kriegaffe

Here's a commission I did a little while back for this guys collection.

Pretty fun to draw, I think that was my first time drawing (a) Kriegaffe.

The Wendigo

What if Daryl (or whomever is in the Wendigo now) was an active member of the B.P.R.D.?

Original inks for sale here

Tiger, Brahmin, Jackal

Here's a few pages from an ebook I illustrated for Amazon's Kindle FreeTime Unlimited program.
Its a 12 page Indian fable with moderately interactive pages and a great narration that reads the story to kids or gives them the option to read it themselves.

Pretty fun to work on, the book is available now.

Oklahoma!

Poster I was asked to make for a local high school's production of Oklahoma.

I actually haven't ever seen the musical so its a big vague going off of their direction.

Clerical Elf

Another commissioned character, this guys is a nature cleric. 

A really kind easy going sort of guy.

Concept art here

Flik and Sam

This bird and mountain troll are recent commissions. I was asked to draw JP Coovert's characters Flik and Sam from his comics 'There Must Be More' which you can read here and here. They're great little comics so go read'em.

This is his cover to the second issue so you can see his Flik and Sam and compare with my interpretation.

He sounded happy with the result, hope you guys enjoy it too.

Anyone else have any OC's they'd like me to commission me to draw?
I'm always interested, these are tons of fun to work on. 

Concept work here

Cinnamon

 Three years ago today Cinnamon passed away.
I've been trying to draw something every year on this day to spend some time thinking about her. We went to McDonalds today too and got some soft serve cones and listened to this song on the drive home. I'm not sure why but that song is kinda 'Cinnamon's song' and she loved eating those ice cream cones so its a nice tradition to remember her by.

Sad day

Blighted Druid

Here's the second winner of the giveaway, John's request for a druid from a blighted land.

Email me your address and I'll send you the inks.

This guy should have been dead long ago, hes hundreds of years old.. but hes been staying alive by draining the life from all the plants and animals around him. Rude huh.

Concepts here

Storymen

This is a logo banner I made for the Storymen podcast, which I was a guest on this week.

If your interested in hearing me talk about comics, faith and the challenges of being an artist as a Christian you can listen to this weeks episode here. 

Hexblade Orc

And here we have the winner for the giveaway. Matthew Parody!  
Email me your address and I'll mail you the inks. 
 

 Actually this is just one of the winners, there were so many good suggestions I decided I would draw two winners, the second will be posted on Monday.

This wasn't exactly what he asked for but an amalgamation of his request plus a samurai type guy that I felt like drawing...  Hope he likes it!

Concept art for this guy here

More next week!

Twilight Skinwalker

 Is he half man half buffalo? Or is he wearing buffalo skins?

Concept art here

Original for sale here

Frost Giant

He's a big guy, trust me. And he doesn't need shoes because he doesn't get cold, those wrappings are bandages from when he gets stabbed by knights in his feet. Poor guy.

Concept art here

Original on sale here

Lava Golem

I like this dude, is that lava supposed to be a loincloth or barf? 

Its up to you.

Concept sketches here

Original art for sale here  SOLD

Divine Oracle

I think there is a law that says when you draw fantasy art you are required to have a floating crystal somewhere.

Hey, thanks everyone for the suggestions on what I should draw. I think I know what I'm gonna do now, which I will post on Friday so if you commented check back then!

Concept art here

Original inks for sale here

Character Commissions

I've received a number of emails requesting commission prices for this fantasy style character set I’ve been doing. I figured I’d just post prices here to make it easier for everyone.

Iron Dwarf

Here's my dwarf blacksmith, which is probably one of my favorite so far.

Concept art here

Original inks for sale here

Thats all for this week, I have some more I will post next week so stay tuned. 

ALSO I am looking for one other character idea so how about we collaborate? Leave a comment of any fantasy type character you'd like me to draw and I'll pick one if there are some good suggestions. When I post the chosen one (I'm thinking probably Friday), if its yours email me and I'll send you the original inks. So be sure to check back if you leave a comment. 

Sound good?

Sea Revenant

My idea of a ghost pirate, his head bit is probably my favorite part.

Concept art here

Original inks for sale here

Highland Rogue

Today and the following posts are my own takes on different fantasy classes and characters.

I haven't drawn a ton of fantasy type stuff in the past, so this is a fun exercise to do and designing characters

is probably one of the most enjoyable things I know of. The Rogue was a request from a friend of mine on what character type to draw next.

Original inks for sale here.

And some concept work here.

Undead Dryad

Another D & D character commission.

Here we have an undead dryad elf warrior guy with a crazy thorny dagger.

And thats elf blood or something, in case you were curious.

Concept work here.

More tomorrow!

Desert Bard

This was a commission for someones D & D campaign, I drew two of their characters, today and tomorrows post. And then I drew a few more which I will be posting the rest of the week.

Hope you enjoy.

You can see some concept work for him here.

Legion of the Condemned

Just did this for fun, practicing inking.

Original on sale here

Jen & Mike Wedding Poster

Commissioned poster for a wedding this past month.

Christmas Card 2012

This came a bit late due to finishing a big deadline and being gone on Holiday... But!
Better late than never, I gotta keep the tradition going..

The card is meant to be folded in half where you choose the front, and the gif is just for fun.

Previous years: 2009 - 2010 - 2011

I removed the art cause everyone was stealing it and selling it as products

Christmas Gifts

As a thanks for those who follow my blog (or various other art outlets), I'm giving away two copies of
The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde TPB, signed, sealed and delivered to you.

First two people to email me their mailing address win. Easy peasy.

 Winning emails received, thanks everyone!

Hellboy vs Krampus

This years Hellboy forums holiday exchange piece. I'm mailing the original inks but I figured I should color it. I think of all mythical creatures Hellboy should have fought Krampus at some point. Maybe he did and that just hasn't been revealed yet..

Previous years exchanges: 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011