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Emerald City Comicon

Monsters and Dames 2018

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I’m happy to announce that my entry was accepted into Emerald City Comicon’s Monsters and Dames art book. This year’s entry also includes a cast of three compared to my last couple of entries.  I will also be tabling at the ECCC artists alley again Mar 1-4, so if you plan on purchasing the art book, come see at Table J4 so I can sign your book. You can read more about the details and other artists in the book on ECCC’s Monsters and Dames page.

It took a while for me to land on a concept. I knew I was going to do something with northern lights, so my first concept had glowing fish flying out of a lake and forming the lights in the sky. After trying out several compositions, I felt like the idea wasn’t working for me. I was also starting to run out of time to work on the piece, so I decided instead to go with a different idea for the figure in the sky.

I also doodled a bit with the colors to figure out what the end result could look like. Another reason for abandoning the fish concept was because I didn’t want to make this piece feel like a continuation from last year’s entry which was also on a lake.

I started playing around with the lines of the northern lights and ended up with a stag-like creature. Northern lights have a flowing quality to them, and it felt like the stag was a good solution.

Lastly, I gave the Panda Courier a winter makeover and included the red panda just because I feel like it’s about time he gets included in one of these pieces.

Oh, and one more thing. Next week, I might be taking over a certain Instagram account. You’ve been warned.

2017 Monsters and Dames Submission

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I just submitted my piece for next year’s Emerald City Comicon’s “Monsters and Dames” art book benefitting Seattle Children’s Hospital. I decided to make an update to the girl character from last year’s piece. One of these days I’d like to do some stories with this character, for now her working title is the “Panda Courier” who transports baby pandas.

In the meantime, I’ll have to wait and see if this piece gets accepted. I’ll update this post once I hear back from organizers, but for now, I’m gonna sit here and twiddle my thumbs.

ECCC 2016 & Pre-Commissions!

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Hey Seattle, it’s that time of year again! Yup, it’s time for the Emerald City Comicon! This one holds a special place in my heart as it was the first con that I ever attended, and it’s the first one that I tabled at! This year I will be featuring in the Artists Alley again at Table K9, and I’m also pleased to announce that will have an original piece that will be featured in the Monsters and Dames art book benefitting the Seattle Children’s Hospital.

And once again, I’m opening pre-commissions slots! Sign up so you can guarantee yourself a commission without having to wait in line, pick up your piece as soon as you arrive at my table! Here are a few samples of commissions I’ve done at other conventions:

Overall, I want to have a good time drawing something so that you will enjoy seeing it on your wall. Below are my guidelines for any commission ideas.

NO:

  • Porn, sexual activity, lewd content, explicit nudity or gore.
  • Mimicking another artist’s style or hyper-realism.
  • Anything not consistent with the Punching Pandas brand or character.
  • Promotion of brands, organizations, religions, etc.
  • If I’m uncomfortable with the subject matter, I reserve the right to refuse the commission.

YES:

  • Animals, people, creatures, fairies, robots, whatever!
  • Fan art, original art, video game art, all kinds of art! :D

Prices

All prices are for a single character with a minimal or no background. Prices are subject to change depending on the complexity of the character. These prices are for ECCC pre-commissions and ECCC commissions only.

  • OPTION 1: 11×17 color giclee print on archival paper – starting at $80 USD, additional characters – starting at $30 USD each.
  • OPTION 2: 9×12 BW sumi ink original with wash on watercolor paper – starting at $45 USD; for color, add $10; additional characters – starting at $15 USD each.
  • OPTION 3: 5×7 BW sumi ink original with wash on watercolor paper – starting at $25 USD; for color, add $5; additional characters – starting at $10 USD each.

Once I receive your email, I will confirm within 24 hours with your position on the list. If I accept your commission request, I’ll send you my PayPal information, and I’ll begin work once I’ve received payment. Also, let me know which day you plan on picking up your piece so I can keep an eye out for you!

See you all in April! Cheers!

Thoughts from ECCC and Fan Expo Van

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Hey everyone, sorry it’s taken me a while to post this, but I finally recovered from the adrenaline drain from the last two comic cons. I’ve gotten back in rhythm, so it’s business as usual.

So where do I begin with ECCC and Fan Expo? First of all, I loved it.  I loved the energy of both events. I loved the people I met. I loved seeing the crazy cosplayers. I loved the all the activity happening around the table. Overall, I enjoyed every minute of my first con experience, and I’m hooked! Now let’s get into the details.Read More »Thoughts from ECCC and Fan Expo Van

Super Pandas

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Leading up to Emerald City Comicon, I decided to do another series of pandas titled “Super Pandas.”  I tried to pick the most popular superheroes I could think of, but there were still a lot that I left out.  Maybe I’ll revisit them one day, but for now, let’s start with the X-Men, or should I say, X-Pandas!

 

Then there’s DC Comics’ Justice League (it depends though if you think Cyborg belongs here or not).

 

How can we forget Marvel’s Avengers!

 

And let’s have a couple more bonus characters: Deadman, Daredevil, Deadpool, Baymax, and Hiro Hamada!

Preorder Commissions still open and Fan Expo Vancouver Table Number!

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ECCC Location

Hey everyone, I still have room for preorder commissions for Emerald City Comicon and Fan Expo Vancouver.  I probably won’t be able to finish that many by ECCC, but you can still sign up anyways since I’ll be doing commissions at the con.  If you’re visiting ECCC this weekend, please check me out at Table JJ-03 on the 6th floor.  Check the map above for my table position.

Fan Expo is almost a week away for all you Canadiens!  I just received my table placement.  I will be at Table A35, check below for the map.  come by and say hi!

Fan Expo Vancouver Location

In the meantime, here are a few preorder commissions I got to complete for ECCC.  Can’t believe the weekend is almost here!

ECCC + VanFanExpo! 2015 Pre-order commissions slots open!

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[UPDATE: Digital preorders are no longer open for ECCC and Fan Expo Vancouver.  I do accept digital commissions, but those will be completed and shipped after Easter weekend (4/3-4/5).]

Howdy! I have a big announcement to make! I will have a table in the artist’s alley at Emerald City Comicon this year!  My table will be JJ-03 on the 6th floor under “Punching Pandas.” It was a last minute addition that I wasn’t expecting to open up, but now that I’m on the list it’s time to get bizzay! I will also be featuring at the FanExpo Vancouver [UPDATE: at table A35] the following weekend April 3-5.  I’m busy trying to get things together and am really excited to show my work in these cons.

I will be opening up pre-order commission slots for digital prints and BW ink originals to pick up at both conventions. I will be doing commissions at the conventions, but these pre-orders will allow me to spend a little more time on your piece without being interrupted with the needs of the booth as well as relieve you from having to stand in another line. Slots are limited for now, but if I feel like I have the bandwidth to do more, I’ll take on more commissions. I’m open to doing commissions outside of the conventions, but pre-orders for the conventions will have first priority.

Commission Guidelines

Commissions will be single full-body characters with a minimal background depending on the commission.  I might make an exception if I feel like the additional characters are simple enough to add in (e.g. a parrot on a pirate’s shoulder).  Some general guidelines for the subjects:

What I won’t draw:

  • Sexual activity or lewd content. There’s kids who look at my stuff, man!
  • Explicit nudity and gore. I’m not averse to either, but only if it’s done in a tasteful and humorous way.
  • Crazy complex designs or compositions like a pile of nails or intricate mech designs. If you want a picture of a pile of nails, take a photo.
  • Caricatures, realistic likenesses, or hyper-realism.
  • The price of the commissions are subject to change depending on the complexity of the character.
  • Commission requests will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
  • I reserve the right to refuse a commission if I am not comfortable with the subject or if I find it too complicated.

What I will draw:

  • Animals, people, some celebrities
  • Fan art, original art, video game art, all kinds of art! :D
  • Overall, I want to have a good time drawing something so that you will enjoy seeing on your wall. I’m just here to have a good time and try my best!

Submission Guidelines

To add your name to the list, please email me at nolen.lee [AAATTT] gmail duh-duh-dot com. Please include:

  • ECCC Commission” or “VanFanExpo Commission” in your subject header so I know which convention I need to bring the pieces to.
  • Indicate which days you plan on attending each convention so I know when to have them ready and when to bring them.
  • Clear reference photos of the character (send pictures, not links). I see you spammers… -_-
  • Specific notes for the piece including the personality, attitude, and anything you might find relevant to the character. The better you can explain your concept, the easier and quicker I can get the piece completed.
  • Indicate if you would like to have a digital print (see below for deadline), BW painting, or pencil sketch. [UPDATE: Digital preorder commission slots no longer offered for either comicon, but I do receive commissions outside of the comicons. Please email me at the address above if you are interested in a commission.]

Once I receive your email, I will confirm within 24 hours with your position on the list.  If I accept your commission request, I’ll send you my PayPal information; I’ll begin work once I’ve received payment.

Prices

  • [UPDATE: Digital print commission slots no longer offered for Emerald City.  Fan Expo requests are still open] 11×17 Digital color print – starting at $80 USD, additional characters – starting at $20 USD
    • Printed with archival inks
    • Lexjet Premium Matte paper
  • [UPDATED] 9×12 BW ink original with wash – starting at $40 USD, additional characters – starting at $15 USD
    •  Watercolor paper, 300 g/m², cold-pressed
    • Will add minimal color upon request
  • [UPDATED] 5×8 BW ink original with wash – starting at $25, additional characters – starting at $10
    • [UPDATED] Watercolor paper, 300 g/m², cold-pressed
    • Will add minimal color upon request
    • Include matting for $5

Deadlines

Due to my limited time leading up to both shows, I will stop receiving pre-order requests for digital prints to give myself ample time to complete the artwork and send them to the printer.  For ECCC, please submit your commission request no later than March 9, 2015.  For Fan Expo Vancouver, please submit your commission request no later than March 16, 2015. I will try to get to as many of these commissions as I possibly can, if I’m unable to complete your commission in time, I will ship the image to your location.

[UPDATE: I won’t be receiving anymore digital preorder commissions for VanExpo but I will be doing ink drawing commissions leading up to Fan Expo as well as commissions during the cons. If you’re interested in commissions outside of the cons, please contact me at the email address listed above.]

Looking forward to seeing you all at these year’s cons! It’s gonna be a blast!

Cheers,

Nolen