| Thursday, June 18, 2009 |
| Heroes Convention 09 |
I'll be at Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC this weekend. I've added a handy little map below that shows the 12 Gauge Booth where I'll plant myself. This is the convention I look forward to each year. The guys that run the show are the best, it's a family reunion for the industry guys, and it's a mini-vacation for the wife and I. It's the perfect storm of convention goodness!
I'm doing something a little different for "commissions" this year. I'm only doing one piece a day for $100 a piece. I know, it sounds crazy, but I hate the pressure of con sketches. I freeze up and it feels like I'm being tested in grade school again! The pressure, the sweats, the lack of performance! I'm taking medication (booze) for it... it'll be ok. So, I pre-planned 3 pieces that I think people will like. This way, if you like what you see, you can buy it! If you don't, well, good thing you didn't commission it!
In addition to the sketches I'll have a stack of art, books, sketchbooks, and prints for sale. If you don't want to buy my crap just come on by and say hello! I'd love to meet you and that's what these cons are really all about anyway, right?
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posted by Tony Shasteen @ 8:24 AM  |
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| Cthulhu Tales on stands |
I did the cover for this issue of Cthulhu Tales from BOOM! Run on out and grab a copy!
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| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 4:13 PM |
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| Saturday, April 18, 2009 |
| Maggie |
My cat and friend died last night. We got her when she was less than a week old and she didn't even have her eyes open yet. That was almost 15 years ago. We were her family and she was most definitely ours. We'll miss you Maggie. |
| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 12:14 PM |
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| Tuesday, February 03, 2009 |
| The Talisman... and the next couple years of my life! |
Much more to come on this later. Right now I'm off to NYCC! Hope to see ya there!
Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today the adaptor and artist on the comic book and graphic novel versions of The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub.
The book will be penciled and inked by Tony Shasteen, who has been an illustrator since 1995. His clients have included Coca-Cola, Nascar, Hasbro, DC Comics, Wildstorm, Top Cow, Dark Horse, Virgin, Boom Studios, and Image Comics, among many others. Tony illustrated Image Comic’s The Occult Crimes Taskforce (The O.C.T.), co-created by David Atchison and Rosario Dawson. Film rights to The O.C.T. are in development with Dimension Films.
It will be scripted by Robin Furth, who co-writes Marvel’s bestselling Dark Tower comics taking place in King’s Dark Tower Universe. The Gunslinger Born – the first of the Dark Tower series – was nominated for both an Eisner and a Harvey award. Robin has written “Satana and The Electric Pentacle” for Marvel’s Legion of Monsters and has adapted Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Lords of Avalon series to comic book form. She worked as Stephen King’s research assistant between 2000 and 2004 and continues to do freelance work for the Master of Horror.
Lettering and project management will be handled by Dabel Brothers Publishing. The first issue of the monthly comic is planned for early fall 2009.
Originally published in 1984, The Talisman is the story of a young teen named Jack Sawyer, who can save his dying mother only by retrieving a magical talisman. To find it he must cross back and forth between our world and the frightening and dangerous landscape of its “twinner” counterpart. Both The Talisman and its sequel, Black House, are in print with Ballantine Books. Television rights to The Talisman are under development by Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. |
| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 6:59 AM |
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| Friday, January 30, 2009 |
| Cover work :: The Corps! #3 |
Again, this will probably never see the light of day except for on this blog. Same as the last one, I would change things now looking back. That's pretty typical though. I should have made the faces more expressive. They're in battle for Pete's sake! Although, I was pretty happy with the color scheme.
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| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 8:00 AM |
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| Thursday, January 29, 2009 |
| Cover work :: The Corps! #2 |
This may never see the light of day. It's for Devil's Due The Corps! Overall I was happy with it I guess. There are things I would change now though. I don't know... it needs polishing.
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| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 3:48 PM |
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| Friday, January 23, 2009 |
| A cautionary tale of an old rusty chair |
This post will most likely be of no interest to anyone, but you get it anyway. I have a love of old metal mid century office furniture. I've been collecting and hording it for years. I picked up this little metal and green vinyl chair probably 5 years ago at an antique store in Atlanta. It wasn't in the best of shape. It was left out in the weather and had, what looked like, a family of cats living on it and God knows what else. I bought it for $15 bucks if memory serves.
I finally got a bug up my butt last weekend to refinish it. I figured it would take a couple days at most. It actually looked like it was in descent enough shape, but the seat cushion had obviously deteriorated because it created a dust cloud if you patted it, and it sounded like potato chips if you sat on it. Foam and the elements don't go together too well. Especially when the foam is 50 to 60 years old.
I started by taking photos so I could remember how to reassemble it. As soon as I started to take off the vinyl I knew it would be a big job. Moisture had made its way into the padding under the vinyl. Everyplace there was padding, there was rust. A lot of it. The padding for the seat had completely turned to dust. My wife and I scrapped the metal and sanded off as much rust as possible. Yes, I pulled my wife into this job... that's the kinda guy I am and she's a great help.
This is where things turned south. When you scrape deteriorated foam rubber, sand rust, and then spray paint... wear a mask. Don't be a dumbass like myself and think you'll be ok.
So we scrapped, sanded, and painted the metal. It took a couple days when you figure in the time for the multiple layers of primer and paint to dry. I even polished the casters and cleaned the bearings in them. They ended up looking like new! Then it hit. I felt it in my throat and nose. Not to get too graphic here, but lets just say there was a lovely burnt orange color coming from my nose. Then I got sick and the chair had to go on hold. I had what felt like the flu. I'm thinking whatever I sucked in got infected. That was a week ago and I'm finally somewhat over whatever it was.
We were finally able to put it together and reupholster the beast today. The chair was almost the death of me, but I think it turned out pretty good! So what did we all learn from this? Wear a mask and don't be an idiot like me!
Click on the image below for a better look at the process...
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| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 6:48 PM |
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| Thursday, January 08, 2009 |
| My Cullycature |
My friend and studio mate Cully Hamner was kind enough to do this caricature of me for the NYCC. It captures me in all my hideousness! That man has a future at Six Flags. Thanks Cully!
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| posted by Tony Shasteen @ 12:05 PM |
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