pose inspired by rosie the riveter. i lurve her thick arms.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
the awesome duo - "princeless" pinup
was very happy when i was asked to contribute a pinup for "princeless: short stories for warrior women" #1. here are the progression shots.
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| "the awesome duo" |
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
robins to the rescue!
a girl named robin needs a new wheelchair. so me & a few guys from the mid-south cartoonists association did this comp piece to add to the team robin campaign. please take a moment to visit their page & donate.
all of these characters started as a robin, batman's sidekick. kind of cool, eh? yeah, i think so too.
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| artists, clockwise, starting top left:andrew chandler, charles ettinger, moi!, martheus wade, antonio johnson |
Friday, October 12, 2012
con essentials
we try to attend cons pretty regularly. it's imperative to get out there & sell sell sell, especially if you're an independant creator. sometimes we get asked about how to set up our booth/table or what items are must haves to make the set up look nice.
keep in mind, we do this all ourselves. that includes the transporting, selling, set up, & break down. so everything we take has to be compact & easy to carry.
essential supply list:
cash! (in 1s, 5s, & 10s)**
cash bag (you know, to keep the cash in...)**
invisible tape**
clear packaging tape**
duct tape**
scissors/exacto knife/box cutter**
post it notes or index cards**
sharpies**
stapler w/ extra staples**
safety pins**
extra large binder clips**
extension cord**
table cloth
background backdrop
stand up banner(s)
stand up files (to display books)
t stand (to display a tshirt)
the supplies indicated by the ** are what i call life savers. i can't tell you how many times something w/ the displays come apart or or we forget to print out signage or the laptop's battery is dying & we need an outlet STAT! these life savers fit nicely in the handy dandy file box or a large toolbox & can hide away underneath your table. w/ any of these supplies, you can decide on whether to take w/ you or leave at home.
how are you getting all this stuff to & from this con/show?
if you're driving to a con, pack whatever you can in the car. books, prints, displays, etc. etc. & don't forget to bringing the file box/toolkit o' supplies along can help spruce up your booth/table.
if you're flying to a con, fedex can be your best friend. because airline additional carry-on fees are not. & i don't think they like you bringing scissors & exacto knives on planes anyway. or if shipping to & from somewhere isn't in your budget, get creative in packing for the plane. packing as few & interchangeable clothing items as possible so you can cram as many books (below the weight limit, of course) into your 1 allowable carry-on. & don't forget your drawing supplies to make extra $ w/ on con sketches. so in this case, think efficiency & travel as light as possible.
what are you selling?
books? prints? tshirts? cups w/ a mule on them? whatever you're selling, it's important to have some kind of order & neatness. stack & group like items together. books don't have to lay down; stand them up w/ file folder holders, available at any office store. having a large portoflio to flip thru can efficiently display large prints & original art pages. fold tshirts & have 1 hanging up on a tstand. it's good to pay attention to how other booths are handling their displays too. & it would be a good idea to take notes when you go to a department store or local book store (they still have those, rt?) when they have displays up.
what kind of space are you occupying?
if you're lucky enough to snag a corner booth, then having a large, eye catching backdrop is always good. make use of your table space. have your merchanidse stand up facing potential customers as well as spread out across the table.
if you're in artist alley, they give you a small table w/ enough room to set up a sign that says "i draw for moneyz" & your art supplies & pad. this is ok, because you're usually not suppose to sell merchandise in artist alley, so no need to worry about where your books/prints will go. it's just you, man. go make magic happen...w/ your pencil...
anywho, these are some pix from various cons we've attended.
keep in mind, we do this all ourselves. that includes the transporting, selling, set up, & break down. so everything we take has to be compact & easy to carry.
essential supply list:
cash! (in 1s, 5s, & 10s)**
cash bag (you know, to keep the cash in...)**
invisible tape**
clear packaging tape**
duct tape**
scissors/exacto knife/box cutter**
post it notes or index cards**
sharpies**
stapler w/ extra staples**
safety pins**
extra large binder clips**
extension cord**
table cloth
background backdrop
stand up banner(s)
stand up files (to display books)
t stand (to display a tshirt)
the supplies indicated by the ** are what i call life savers. i can't tell you how many times something w/ the displays come apart or or we forget to print out signage or the laptop's battery is dying & we need an outlet STAT! these life savers fit nicely in the handy dandy file box or a large toolbox & can hide away underneath your table. w/ any of these supplies, you can decide on whether to take w/ you or leave at home.
how are you getting all this stuff to & from this con/show?
if you're driving to a con, pack whatever you can in the car. books, prints, displays, etc. etc. & don't forget to bringing the file box/toolkit o' supplies along can help spruce up your booth/table.
if you're flying to a con, fedex can be your best friend. because airline additional carry-on fees are not. & i don't think they like you bringing scissors & exacto knives on planes anyway. or if shipping to & from somewhere isn't in your budget, get creative in packing for the plane. packing as few & interchangeable clothing items as possible so you can cram as many books (below the weight limit, of course) into your 1 allowable carry-on. & don't forget your drawing supplies to make extra $ w/ on con sketches. so in this case, think efficiency & travel as light as possible.
what are you selling?
books? prints? tshirts? cups w/ a mule on them? whatever you're selling, it's important to have some kind of order & neatness. stack & group like items together. books don't have to lay down; stand them up w/ file folder holders, available at any office store. having a large portoflio to flip thru can efficiently display large prints & original art pages. fold tshirts & have 1 hanging up on a tstand. it's good to pay attention to how other booths are handling their displays too. & it would be a good idea to take notes when you go to a department store or local book store (they still have those, rt?) when they have displays up.
what kind of space are you occupying?
if you're lucky enough to snag a corner booth, then having a large, eye catching backdrop is always good. make use of your table space. have your merchanidse stand up facing potential customers as well as spread out across the table.
if you're in artist alley, they give you a small table w/ enough room to set up a sign that says "i draw for moneyz" & your art supplies & pad. this is ok, because you're usually not suppose to sell merchandise in artist alley, so no need to worry about where your books/prints will go. it's just you, man. go make magic happen...w/ your pencil...
anywho, these are some pix from various cons we've attended.
 |
| see how professional this looks? make you wanna buy 1--no, 2 of everything, doesn't it? |
 |
| a nice display for books. i think this came from an actual shop supply store. |
 |
| another way to set up your books. stand up file holders! available at any office depot. |
 |
| nevermind the 2 slackers (& Muley) in the front. look at the backdrops: a big splash banner & a portable standup banner |
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| dispalying prints can be tricky, but if you have a LOT, they can attract customers to your table. ooo, purrty colors! |
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| tshirts folded, cups stacked (w/ a baby Muley. dawww!) |
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| big eye catching backdrop, books standing up & in stacks, prints laid out nicely, & geeks w/ their best smiles on. |
hope this helps. now get out there & sell your stuff!!!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
frogfest 2012
this past weekend the MAW Productions gang took a little trip to leland, ms, for frogfest. leland is the hometown of muppets & sesame street creator, jim henson, & is also where the jim henson museum is located. we were invited to perform in two puppet shows, so of course we performed "Super Muley & the Cookie Caper". twas lots o' fun.
this wasn't our first time visiting leland & the museum. when we went in 2007 (you can see my post from the xanga days here), kevin williams had a master replicas stand up of kermit to take pix of. it was during that particular visit that this now iconic (according to the internetz) pic was taken...
so you know we had to replicate it, this time w/ Muley.
this is definitely a great place to visit for a day trip or weekend trip. you can check out more fun-filled pix of this trip on Muley's facebook (yeah, he has 1; doesn't everyone?) here.
this wasn't our first time visiting leland & the museum. when we went in 2007 (you can see my post from the xanga days here), kevin williams had a master replicas stand up of kermit to take pix of. it was during that particular visit that this now iconic (according to the internetz) pic was taken...
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| we miss you, jim henson. pic taken in 2007. |
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| Muley pays respect to his inspiration. |
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| we're being tourist-y. |
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| Bufford, Roy Duck, Muley, & Missy |
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| 2012 frogfest was awesome. :) |
this is definitely a great place to visit for a day trip or weekend trip. you can check out more fun-filled pix of this trip on Muley's facebook (yeah, he has 1; doesn't everyone?) here.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Press Release: The Comic Studio
Hey! Here is the official press release for the Comic Studio. If there is anyone interested in signing up for classes, let me know. Any media outlets that would like to post this up, please feel free. As well, anyone that would like to share this on their pages are welcome.
OFFICIAL COMIC STUDIO PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact Persons for The Comic Studio:
Martheus A. Wade
martheus@toshigawa.com
www.mawpro.com
INDEPENDENT COMIC CREATOR PUTS A COMIC BOOK SPIN ON ART CLASSES
September 5, 2012
Indy comic book creator, Martheus Wade, creator of the hit graphic novel series Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa and Turra: Gun Angel and art director for MAW Productions Studios, is proud to announce the formation of The Comic Studio, a series of classes that specialize in the art of comic book and graphic novel creation.
The Comic Studio will be art classes with a comic book twist. The classes take an innovative approach to creative design that combines fine art, writing and graphic design skills and team them with goal setting techniques that will empower students to see projects through to completion. Courses will cover everything from photoshop techniques, to illustration techniques, to writing all from the perspective of comic book and graphic novel creation. "I've always wanted to give back to the Memphis area," Martheus said. "The idea for the Comic Studio began when I taught comic illustration in the penitentiary system. There were some extremely talented individuals there that could have contributed so much to the art world if someone would have reached them early and helped develop their talent. I want to find that child before it's too late." Thanks to fellow artist and prolific painter, Adam Shaw, classes will start at his studio in November at 2547 Broad Ave, Memphis TN. "The revitalization of Broad Avenue as an arts district fits The Comic Studio perfectly," said Martheus. "It's the perfect place to open minds to the arts and the power of the graphic medium."
Classes start in November and will meet Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. More information on times will be available in the coming weeks. Anyone interested in enrollment should contact Martheus Wade at martheus@toshigawa.com or join our facebook page, keyword: The Comic Studio. Free art tutorials are also available online at www.mawpro.com.
-more-
Martheus Antone Wade
Optioned for motion picture, Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa was created in 1985 by Martheus Antone Wade, a graduate of the University of Memphis. Martheus' love for martial arts, along with his talent as a graphic artist, was a natural fit for creating exciting characters and imaginative storylines. He then began his carrier as an intern at Signature Advertising. After completing his internship, Martheus worked as graphic designer. After two years, Martheus struck out on his own as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator working with companies such as the Radison Hotel, Trust Marketing, Senior Services, The YWCA, The Girl Scouts Council of the Mid-South, and Special Olympics.
He has illustrated for Maximum CNG, Bloodstream for Image Comics, Shooting Star Comics, Chaos Campus for Approbation Comics and Andrew Dabb's Slices just to name a few. Recently, he has worked on such titles as Action Man and Nanovor for IDW, Bad Girls Club for the Oxygen Network, and illustrated, wrote, and produced a comic book crossover with his title character, Jetta, and William Tucci's, Shi. His work has been used for the movie Role Models from Universal Pictures as well as the instructional DVD and book, Hi-Fi Digital Color for Comics available from IMPACT Publishing.
Visit www.mawpro.com to see more of his work and artistic process .
OFFICIAL COMIC STUDIO PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact Persons for The Comic Studio:
Martheus A. Wade
martheus@toshigawa.com
www.mawpro.com
INDEPENDENT COMIC CREATOR PUTS A COMIC BOOK SPIN ON ART CLASSES
September 5, 2012
Indy comic book creator, Martheus Wade, creator of the hit graphic novel series Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa and Turra: Gun Angel and art director for MAW Productions Studios, is proud to announce the formation of The Comic Studio, a series of classes that specialize in the art of comic book and graphic novel creation.
The Comic Studio will be art classes with a comic book twist. The classes take an innovative approach to creative design that combines fine art, writing and graphic design skills and team them with goal setting techniques that will empower students to see projects through to completion. Courses will cover everything from photoshop techniques, to illustration techniques, to writing all from the perspective of comic book and graphic novel creation. "I've always wanted to give back to the Memphis area," Martheus said. "The idea for the Comic Studio began when I taught comic illustration in the penitentiary system. There were some extremely talented individuals there that could have contributed so much to the art world if someone would have reached them early and helped develop their talent. I want to find that child before it's too late." Thanks to fellow artist and prolific painter, Adam Shaw, classes will start at his studio in November at 2547 Broad Ave, Memphis TN. "The revitalization of Broad Avenue as an arts district fits The Comic Studio perfectly," said Martheus. "It's the perfect place to open minds to the arts and the power of the graphic medium."
Classes start in November and will meet Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. More information on times will be available in the coming weeks. Anyone interested in enrollment should contact Martheus Wade at martheus@toshigawa.com or join our facebook page, keyword: The Comic Studio. Free art tutorials are also available online at www.mawpro.com.
-more-
Martheus Antone Wade
Optioned for motion picture, Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa was created in 1985 by Martheus Antone Wade, a graduate of the University of Memphis. Martheus' love for martial arts, along with his talent as a graphic artist, was a natural fit for creating exciting characters and imaginative storylines. He then began his carrier as an intern at Signature Advertising. After completing his internship, Martheus worked as graphic designer. After two years, Martheus struck out on his own as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator working with companies such as the Radison Hotel, Trust Marketing, Senior Services, The YWCA, The Girl Scouts Council of the Mid-South, and Special Olympics.
He has illustrated for Maximum CNG, Bloodstream for Image Comics, Shooting Star Comics, Chaos Campus for Approbation Comics and Andrew Dabb's Slices just to name a few. Recently, he has worked on such titles as Action Man and Nanovor for IDW, Bad Girls Club for the Oxygen Network, and illustrated, wrote, and produced a comic book crossover with his title character, Jetta, and William Tucci's, Shi. His work has been used for the movie Role Models from Universal Pictures as well as the instructional DVD and book, Hi-Fi Digital Color for Comics available from IMPACT Publishing.
Visit www.mawpro.com to see more of his work and artistic process .
Thursday, September 6, 2012
letter to thai
i friend posted the following on her facebook this morning...
"So sick and tired of kids saying something to Thai because she wears superhero shirts to school! Teacher getting a call! She cried about it this morning."
>:(
this is not acceptable. this is downright rage-inducing. messing w/ this girl? because of SUPERHERO TSHIRTS??? this is like messing w/ my own child. we go to cons w/ her & her family. we hang out at kickboxing class. shoot, we have more pix of her on our fridge than we do of our own son.
i know kids can be stupid & use a strange logic that we grown people just don't get, but this needs to be nipped in the bud. i remember once upon a time when self esteem wasn't an issue for me. i mean, every kid coming into the world has unlimited potential to do great things...until they are told by someone else they can't/don't/shouldn't. i use to be the fastest runner in school & queen of the monkey bars (i had the blisters on my palms to prove it). then 6th grade hit & i was made fun of because i didn't play quiet games during recess.
& it didn't quit there. i withdrew further into myself when in 8th grade was told i was suppose to draw flowers instead of dragons. & then in high school i was 'weird' because i read (for fun, not for homework) at lunch instead of gossip, didn't wear make up, didn't go on dates. &, oh yeah, i didn't care for new kids on the block. i know, ole weirdo janet.
it wasn't until i hit my mid-20s before i realized i was tired & unhappy of trying to fit in & hiding the things i liked, all for people who i never saw again & did not matter whatsoever in my life anyways.
a girl doesn't have to wear pink or draw only flowers & unicorns or wear hannah montana shirts or like princesses to be a girl.
she can dress up as her favorite superhero.
she can be in ballet.
she can whoop some tail in kickboxing class.
she can learn to play violin.
she can have taekwondo family fun time, too.
oh yeah, & she can read a comic book whilst wearing a SUPERHERO tshirt.
so here's my words of encouragment to this multifaceted young lady.
dear thai:
i know sometimes it's hard being 10, trying to figure out who you are & where you fit into this world that can be full of people who, at times, are rather stupid & slow to realize that not everyone's a cookie cutter clone.
you are an individual. you are ok to like the things you like and enjoy the things you do because those things make you happy. and too bad if it bothers someone else so much that they feel they need to make fun of you. those people need to find a hobby, like knitting, if they really don't have anything else going for them.
keep wearing batman tees. keep playing w/ star wars legos. keep reading comic books. one day you'll understand that you are an AWESOME kid. everyone who love you already know your awesome-osity is boundless. :)
love <3<3<3,
~~me
"So sick and tired of kids saying something to Thai because she wears superhero shirts to school! Teacher getting a call! She cried about it this morning."
>:(
this is not acceptable. this is downright rage-inducing. messing w/ this girl? because of SUPERHERO TSHIRTS??? this is like messing w/ my own child. we go to cons w/ her & her family. we hang out at kickboxing class. shoot, we have more pix of her on our fridge than we do of our own son.
i know kids can be stupid & use a strange logic that we grown people just don't get, but this needs to be nipped in the bud. i remember once upon a time when self esteem wasn't an issue for me. i mean, every kid coming into the world has unlimited potential to do great things...until they are told by someone else they can't/don't/shouldn't. i use to be the fastest runner in school & queen of the monkey bars (i had the blisters on my palms to prove it). then 6th grade hit & i was made fun of because i didn't play quiet games during recess.
& it didn't quit there. i withdrew further into myself when in 8th grade was told i was suppose to draw flowers instead of dragons. & then in high school i was 'weird' because i read (for fun, not for homework) at lunch instead of gossip, didn't wear make up, didn't go on dates. &, oh yeah, i didn't care for new kids on the block. i know, ole weirdo janet.
it wasn't until i hit my mid-20s before i realized i was tired & unhappy of trying to fit in & hiding the things i liked, all for people who i never saw again & did not matter whatsoever in my life anyways.
a girl doesn't have to wear pink or draw only flowers & unicorns or wear hannah montana shirts or like princesses to be a girl.
she can dress up as her favorite superhero.
 |
| best black canary EVER! |
she can be in ballet.
|
| graceful. |
she can whoop some tail in kickboxing class.
|
| she's smiling because you think she's cute & can't hit hard. |
 |
| country fiddlin' or classical. |
she can have taekwondo family fun time, too.
 |
| choke him out!!! |
 |
| in yo faces, haters. |
dear thai:
i know sometimes it's hard being 10, trying to figure out who you are & where you fit into this world that can be full of people who, at times, are rather stupid & slow to realize that not everyone's a cookie cutter clone.
you are an individual. you are ok to like the things you like and enjoy the things you do because those things make you happy. and too bad if it bothers someone else so much that they feel they need to make fun of you. those people need to find a hobby, like knitting, if they really don't have anything else going for them.
keep wearing batman tees. keep playing w/ star wars legos. keep reading comic books. one day you'll understand that you are an AWESOME kid. everyone who love you already know your awesome-osity is boundless. :)
love <3<3<3,
~~me
 |
| that's right. wear that superhero tshirt, miss thai. |
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