Floating Island Studios

The King and Queen in The Story of Christina

2012-02-24T20:25:00.002-08:00

Here's a concept sketch of Christina's parents. The King and Queen of the magical realm they live in. I've already got personalities and back stories for them in the back of my mind. But for now, we'll stick with the pretty picture.

Return to the Digital Realm

2012-02-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make a concerted effort to return to the digital realm, pull back from the socializing and focus on the networking and sharing of my awesomeness.

So, here's an alien design I did a bit ago.

- Nick

WatchD.O.G.S

2012-01-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of volunteering at my daughter's school for her birthday. I wasn't to spend the ENTIRE time with her as I was helping out the other teachers with various projects. I love doing this stuff for her and I know she was thrilled with it as well.
The school was gracious enough to offer a copy of the picture they took for their wall, so now I'm sharing it with you.

"I'm going ghost!!"

2012-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

A Thousand Dollars in Monopoly money to the first person who can tell me who this is.

Spoony Mod

2011-12-27T21:16:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest portrait "Mod" I've done. Spoony McMooch, an artist I've networked with through Twitter and Google Plus. Fun stuff.

Lone Mushroom and Spore

2011-12-18T12:57:00.001-08:00

Based on Lone Wolf and Cub. I used the cover to Lone Wolf 2100 for reference, which is a futuristic adaption of the original story. It's a good read and good art as well.

Sketch Challenge from ANA Comics

2011-12-17T05:48:00.000-08:00

Here was the challenge: To draw your greatest fear in a jack-o-lantern, with your opposite hand.
So here is mine: Failure. Always great in my mind, but I think I did ok with it.

Head Games, Story Two, Page Six

2011-09-15T05:27:00.000-07:00

Head Games, Story Two, Page Five

2011-09-13T20:11:00.001-07:00

Head Games, Story Two, Page Four

2011-09-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

I think I might start turning these one panel pages into warm up sketchs for working on my bigger pages... just a thought.

Head Games, Story Two, Page Three

2011-08-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

Head Games, Story Two, Page Two

2011-08-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

Head Games, Story Two, Page One

2011-08-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Head Games, The Complete Sequence for Story One

2011-08-22T21:25:00.001-07:00

Here's the entire 16 panel sequence of the first story of Head Games. Took me a bit longer than a panel a day, but nothing is ever accomplished without ambition, regardless if it's met completely or not. Hope you enjoyed it. The next one starts tomorrow.

Head Games, Story One, Page 15 & 16

2011-08-21T12:55:00.001-07:00

Head Games, Story One, Page 14

2011-08-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

Head Games, Story One, Page Thirteen

2011-08-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Four more today and we're back on track.

2011-08-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

And so we pick up our story once again. I reall, REALLY want to animate these. I just think they flow SO much better.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this announcement.

2011-08-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm kicking around an idea. Not sure if anyone would want to jump on board because it would mean working outside the box (and also take some of your time). Beyond our ideas of "Owned" individual properties and move into a shared property concept. We would be working with my vague concept and realizing it while we write it. I just think it would be a very neat experiment, but I'm not sure if others would think the same way... which is why I'm bringing it to all of you.

The project would work like this. I would provide the world, the main characters and the general START of the plot. Every week, one person would take a page and write it/illustrate it, starting and then continuing the direction of the plot. One page at a time, through the eventual conclusion of the story. I've done this before with written prose, during writing workshops and it was incredibly fun.

I've already got a couple people that are interested in doing this, so I think I'm going to run with it. I definitely want more people to participate. We'll go in order of volunteering. Probably tomorrow, I'll post up what I've got in terms of a world and character development and we'll go from there. I'll also put all that info on the blog I set up.

Share it with your friends so we can grab more people as well.

This is going to be FUN!!

- Nick M.

It's Ketchup Time!! or Posting Four Days Into One.

2011-08-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Here are the 4 pages in order. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They'll read in that order.

Head Games, Story One, Page Four

2011-08-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

And now, the rest of the story...

Head Games, Story One, Page Three

2011-08-03T09:32:00.001-07:00

As we a little closer, we notice a curious development is taking place.
Apparently, I need an editor as our subject seems to have lost his goatee.

Head Games, Story One, Page Two

2011-08-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

Now we're through the window pane and we can hear the teacher's voice. A bit like Charlie Brown's teacher's voice. Let's have a rest here and see what happens.

Head Games, Story One, Page One

2011-07-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've had these story ideas evolving and developing in my head ever since I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar II and later when I had a CT scan of my head due to chronic head-ache pain.

I originally wanted to do these as short animations but eventually realized that I neither had the time nor the resources required to make that happen. Therefore, this is the solution I came up with to tell these snippets in time.

Two more ManSpiders, Our best Sketch Challenge yet!!

2011-07-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Here are two more versions of the ManSpider. One from Freddy Lopez, Jr and the next from Nicholas Gentile. This was an AWESOME challenge. By far the most participants so far. Images are copyright Freddy Lopez, Jr. and Nicholas Gentile.

2011-07-25T08:40:00.001-07:00

Thinking about doing a panel a day on my blog for August. I've had these stories floating around and need to tell them. What do you think?

ManSpider Sketch Challenge

2011-07-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

While there still might be a few more entries, I couldn't wait any longer. Here are the entries so far. Copyrights in this order: Nicholas P. Myers, Anthony "ANMPH" Hary, three from Rod Salm, two from David Jaxon and Mistah Pete.

2011-07-18T10:36:00.001-07:00

Air and Earth. The tale of a young girl. A ManSpider. TPANVB..... Finding your Creativity Button and pressing it is always fun.

2011-07-18T05:47:00.001-07:00

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

2011-07-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

New post for The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby: http://ping.fm/u09Kx

My Triumphant Return

2011-07-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

since not drawing a thing in almost a month, I was finally able to unlock the disconnect between my brain and hand. This is what streamed out.

I had no idea what I was going to draw, I just started drawing. Sometimes, I think those are my best pieces.

Nick M.

Mi nombre es Magneto.

2011-06-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

So here's my attempt at Megneto. I like it. He's powerful, yet still somewhat stays true to "Real Life" instead of falling completely off the cliff as traditional comics do, at times. Plus it's true to my style. I didn't try to bend to any of the X-Men styles from the past.

The Molemen

2011-06-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

The latest Sketch Challenge I participated in was to take an old Universal Studios movie monster and transform it into our own. Some people have already put up some fun stuff at: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150214906944847&set=a.455416634846.249375.213711424846&type=1&theater and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150209043277063&set=a.412681032062.197084.520092062&type=1&theater, so here's my contribution, The Molemen.
Well, The Mole Man, the rest of the Molemen are hiding in the hills.
Not sure if I like this one or not.... I have to give it some time, I guess.

Nick

The Amazing Technicolor Snog

2011-06-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to playing with all the Copic markers I bought before the Gem City Comic Con. I tested them out on the Snog pic that I drew, figuring that one was the least marketable, and therefore, the best one to make any mistakes on.

It was fun. Much to learn, my young padawan. Hope to see more experiments in the future.

Possibilianism

2011-05-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

I heard a scientist talking on NPR the other day from a pre-recorded interview on Fresh Air and he used this word to describe his philosophy and I found myself nodding along with everything he said. He found a way to verbalize every thought that's been developing in my head in regards to my internal battle between, Atheism, Agnosticism and Christianity. So, I guess I can label myself a Possibilian.
The text that follows is text I stole from Wikipedia.

Possibilianism is a philosophy which rejects both the idiosyncratic claims of traditional theism and the positions of certainty in atheism in favor of a middle, exploratory ground.[1][2][3][4][5] The term was first defined by neuroscientist David Eagleman in relation to his book of fiction Sum.[6] Asked whether he was an atheist or a religious person on a National Public Radio interview in February, 2009, he replied "I call myself a Possibilian: I'm open to...ideas that we don't have any way of testing right now."[6] In a subsequent interview with the New York Times, Eagleman expanded on the definition:
"Our ignorance of the cosmos is too vast to commit to atheism, and yet we know too much to commit to a particular religion. A third position, agnosticism, is often an uninteresting stance in which a person simply questions whether his traditional religious story (say, a man with a beard on a cloud) is true or not true. But with Possibilianism I'm hoping to define a new position -- one that emphasizes the exploration of new, unconsidered possibilities. Possibilianism is comfortable holding multiple ideas in mind; it is not interested in committing to any particular story." [3]
In a New Yorker profile of Eagleman--entitled "The Possibilian"--Burkhard Bilger wrote:[7]
Science had taught him to be skeptical of cosmic certainties, [Eagleman] told me. From the unfathomed complexity of brain tissue—"essentially an alien computational material"—to the mystery of dark matter, we know too little about our own minds and the universe around us to insist on strict atheism, he said. "And we know far too much to commit to a particular religious story." Why not revel in the alternatives? Why not imagine ourselves, as he did in Sum, as bits of networked hardware in a cosmic program, or as particles of some celestial organism, or any of a thousand other possibilities, and then test those ideas against the available evidence? "Part of the scientific temperament is this tolerance for holding multiple hypotheses in mind at the same time," he said. "As Voltaire said, uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one."
An adherent of possibilianism is called a possibilian.[8][9][10] The possibilian perspective is distinguished from agnosticism in its active exploration of novel possibilities and its emphasis on the necessity of holding multiple positions at once if there is no available data to privilege one over the others.[5][11] Eagleman has emphasized that possibilianism reflects the scientific temperament of creativity and intellectual humility in the face of "the known unknowns."[12][13]
According to the Dallas Morning News and MSNBC, the possibilian concept -- including various spellings (e.g. "possibillion") and modifications (e.g. "possibilitarian") -- has become popular on the internet.[14][10] By November 2009, The List Magazine wrote:
"Googling 'possibilian', the position Eagleman invented to explain his belief system, throws up the beginnings of a worldwide movement."[15]
Articles about possibilianism are found in the major news outlets around the globe -- for example, in the Daily Monitor of Uganda[16], The Economic Times of India[17] and New Scientist.[18]
As of April, 2011, "close to a thousand Facebook members had switched their religious affiliation to Possibilianism."[7]

Awesomesauce

2011-05-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here are the entries that I got in our latest sketch challenge, based on a creation of mine called The Notorious Snog that I posted a couple posts ago. These are incredible and mind-blowing.

Credits go to Rod Salm, Alfredo Lopez Jr and Sergio Guerra and myself.

The top one is mine, then the next is Rod's and then Sergio's and the next two are Alfredo's.

Murky? Frogger? Amph?

2011-05-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Another item found in a notebook. For some reason, more ideas come to me on lined paper than have ever come to me on sketchpads. I'm wierd that way, I guess.

Anyway, here we have ourselves a Murky, or a version of a Murky. I've done quite a few since they've been prevelant from my early childhood. Here's what I had in my notebook to accompany the art:

Frogger? Amph? Generally peace loving. Pacifist. Ghandiesque. Small in stature (No bigger than a toddler. Just added) Doesn't usually say much unless he has something important to say (I don't think it will really talk) .. shy. Does have a Mr. Hyde, Hulk side to him. Or even better. He could multiply, like Gremlins, or pop off little versions of himself.

Murky? Lives in secluded corners of the world. Swampy, marshy, boggy areas not traveled by others. Worships anything that grows, perhaps even helps it to grow. Very territorial. If someone steps on a flower or bug by accident, the murky goes crazy and attacks. Almost a split personality. On one side, very innocent, child-like in wonder. loving and peaceful. The other side is very hostile, sprouts smaller versions of itself that swarm. The basic embodiment of rage. Like Gollum and Smeagle in a sense, though not truly split. No interaction between personalities.

The Notorious Snog, Child-Devourer

2011-05-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Still finding cool stuff in notepads. This one even came with notes. Here they are:

The Snog is a zombie/gollum, made from the victim of a dark arts sacrifice, that feeds off the souls of rotten children. It stores the broken bodies in a nap sack, slung over it's shoulder.

Usually, the "victim" they use to turn into the Snog is already somebody with a dark soul which makes them more susceptible to the ceremony.

It's usually performed by five dark priests. They abduct their subject and tie them down to a large stone alter meant for such sacrifices. Each limb is tied to a stone pillar and pulled tight. The dark priests will usually drug the person so they are paralized but can still feel everything.

They proceed to shave the head and use the hair to sew the eyes and mouth shut. Then they make a horizontal incision across the abdomen and pull out the organs. These are then placed on a wooden platform hung above the opening made by the incision. The heart is placed in the center and the whole pile is set on fire.

As the embers fall into the body, the dark priests perform a ritual that traps the victims soul in the embers as they fall into the body cavity, wich is now transformed to hold the heat that will animate the body once it's released. Two pieces of obsidian are heated in the fire and then bound with the skin of the Snog. The obsidian becomes the eyes and the horizontal incision becomes the mouth of the Snog.

It is then released into a village or area to collect the souls of bad children.

Another character sketch, Hero

2011-04-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Here's another character sketch. Hero is his name. I like and don't like it at the same time. It's outside my comfort zone as it's a superhero. This whole project is "superhero" which is something I've never done before.

But here he is, with all his faults (in my eyes).

Nick M.

A sketch I found from Harijan

2011-04-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's fun, the stuff you find when you're cleaning out you're office and sketchpads and things of that sort. Here is a concept sketch I had drawn of the "Girl With No Name" fron Harijan. She's also come to be known as the Barcode Girl.

I still haven't figured out a name for her yet.

Nick

Angst, another character sketch

2011-04-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

Here's another character sketch for a brilliant writer's project that I'm working on. The character is Angst. He thinks he's the greatest detective in the world.... but he's really not.

Did I mention that the writer is brilliant. (and it's not me.)

Nick.

Character sketch for Glamazon

2011-04-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a sketch I threw down for a character called Glamazon. Only focused on her looks, hence the increased boobage. I think I'm going to give her blonde hair as well, since that also meets the stereotypical ideal.

Hampster, character sketch

2011-04-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

I was informed that hampsters don't have tails. Well, maybe this one mutated. Still playing around with his look. Will probably do a few more versions of him for the writer too see what we like.

This is going to be a fun story and it will mark the first time I've worked on something that I didn't write myself.

Hunter and I

2011-04-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hunter and I had some quality time together at the mall. We hit up one of those photobooth things. I love teaching my child to be wierd.

I think there's something wrong with head.

2011-04-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sketched while I was waiting at the hospital for my CT scan.

Some random sketches

2011-04-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

Some fresh made comics, right out of the oven.

2011-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am here to offer you, fine gentleman and ladies of the interweb, the deal of the year, the decade, the century. No!! Eternity. Beyond time itself. Well, ok, so maybe not THAT cool, but pretty cool.

I've got three different packages available for your purchase. These deals will run through the end of May.

TPANVB Year One package: This includes the recently released Trade Paperback for Year One (Season One and Two) of The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby and a group of 8 1/2 x 11 black and white and color prints on 80 lb semi-gloss card stock. The price for that one runs $15 for the cost of the book and prints along with shipping.

Harijan package: This includes the recently released collection of my Mini-series, Harijan, with bonus content. Also including the same group of prints. The prince for this one is $20 for the cost of the book and prints along with shipping.

I Love Nicholas P. Myers package: This includes both books with the package of prints, The price runs $30 for the entire gamut. And if you purchase any one of these wonderful packages, I will be gracious enough to throw in a hand drawn sketch into the mix.

Late night doodles at my mom's

2011-04-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight, talking philosophy with my brother at my mom's, while I was trying to pick up my girls, my nephew started shoving papers and markers and crayons into my hand and these things popped out. One, an angry looking Chick, whom I later added small little stick figure humans to the picture and labeled it Chickzilla and the other, a floating indian head. Both were just quick sketches, no more than a couple of minutes.

My nephew thinks I've got some Mad Skillz.

I like the sketches. They're fun.

Nick M.

I give you, Rafique.

2011-04-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

I drew Rafique at Gem City Comic Con.

I've got some cool stuff planned for this little guy. So much I want to tell you, but I think they would have to kill me then. I don't think I'd like that very much.

Anyway, I can at least tell you this: Rafique is a salamander, but not just any salamander. He is a Warrior Shaman and is fierce and brave and strong.... and small. He IS a salamander, of course.

Anymore, I can not tell you.

Nick.

Edelstein-Stadt-komische Vereinbarung war eine Böe!!

2011-04-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

or... Gem City Comic Convention was a Blast!! Yahoo! Babel Fish is such an awesome site: http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt . Anyway, back to why I'm making this post: my experience at Gem City Comic Con. My loving wife was kind enough to come along with me and my awesome In-Laws were gracious enough to watch our kids for us this last weekend. The show was located just outside of Dayton, Ohio on the campus of Wright State University, which was a beautiful campus by the way. The show was awesome. That pretty much sums it up, but that would be like you paying to see the movie Star Wars and only seeing the little blip of the photon torpedoes going down the hole and the Death Star exploding. You would feel cheated and I'm not going to do that to you. I got to sit in a room with a group of hopeful artists and writers. No. That's wrong. They weren't hopeful. They WERE artists and writers and so am I. I digress. I got to meet and talk to some of these wonderfully talented and creative people and the amazing thing is they were all nice. No one selfishly hid their secrets. Everyone shared them with me and I am very grateful for that. Megan and I got to sit back to back with with Scott and Benita Story, the creators of Johnny Saturn. Megan was terrified that my banner was going to fall over on them at some point. They're Con veterans. If you ever get a chance, check out their website: http://johnnysaturn.com/. Great stuff, both of them are writers and Scott's art is fantastic. I got to get a couple up close looks at his pages and there is some amazing detail in there. Another artist/writer that was very helpful and came over to talk to me was Eric Adams. He also had some great tips. But the best part were the fans, the walkers, the customers, etc. It was fun talking to them, watching their faces as they looked over my work and listened to my ramblings as I tried to explain my creations. There was a man who bought both of my book, because he loved indie work. There were quite a few people who bought a certain print from me because, most of them said, "This is exactly how I feel!" There was a couple who noticed my original fan art drawing from Kukuburi (Phenomenal web comic by Ramon Perez, if you ask me) and she was giddy that they were able to purchase it. There was a creator by the name of Matt, and I forget his last name at the moment, who brought in his work for me to look and critique. There was a gentleman by the name of Avery, who talked to me for at least a half an hour. Told me he had once inked for one of the big two and what a beast the industry could be. I didn't make a ton of cash. More than I thought I might. But I made up for it in experience. It was quite a ride and I am definitely getting back in line. Nick M. P.S. I'll put up some pictures from the con as well as my first Con Drawing.

Conward, Ho!!!

2011-04-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Come on over and visit me at Gem City Comic Con on Sunday. It will be my first Con and I've got a TON of stuff for everyone. I've got the collection of my miniseries, Harijan, with bonus material. I've got Year one of The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby printed. I've got some prints, ashcans and some original pieces as well. If you're nice to me, I might even be willing to a sketch for you at the table.

You're going to want to click on this link for directions: http://www.gemcitycomiccon.com/index.php?page=map

or just go to http://www.gemcitycomiccon.com/ for all the awesome guests and activities you can see and do.

Above is the floor map of where I'll be representing ANA Comics and myself, of course. :)

Watch out Dayton, here I come!! or stuff for Gem City Comic Con.

2011-03-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

My books are finally in. My banner is printed. My ashcans are printed. My bookmarks are printed. My business cards have been printed. I have 8 1/2 x 11 and 11 x 17 prints have been printed. My original artwork has been drawn. My Booth Babe is ready. I'm ready. Let's do this thing.

Mega-Slug

2011-03-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here's my homage to the great webcomic that is known as Space Slugs. Very funny, especially if you have kids, for some reason. Check it out in the link below.

http://www.spaceslugs.com/

Gillies, playing with character designs

2011-03-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a possible design that you might be seeing rather soon on The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby. I call them the Gillies. Friends of the forest, or part of the forest. Is there a difference?

Creature from the Mind of Me

2011-03-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Here is an excercise in the exorcise of the images in my head. Hopefully, ejecting this thing from my cranial cavity will allow me to sleep tonight. Sketched like a madman. Enjoy or don't.

It's good to be back just sketching ideas. I had gotten away from that a while and I think the ideas starting building pressure against the dam of my concious.

Concept sketch

2011-03-21T21:18:00.001-07:00

Here's a little concept sketch for a kid's book I'm slowly working on.

Bum with a gun and a cheap cigarette

2011-03-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Just what it says.

Lunch doodle: 15 - 20 minutes.

Ink pen on notepad.

This slug is inked!!

2011-03-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

It's a Ghostbusters reference. FYI.

Here's the inked version of the pin-up I did for Spaceslugs. I'm going to try and color and a friend of mine wants to try some watercolors on it. Should be a fun experiment.

I love the way he turned out. I added a few things in the inking process, but that's allowed in the rule book if you're the one that pencilled it. Look it up.

Word balloons read: "Uhhh, guys?? I could use a little help here." and "I wonder how big his poop is." Read http://www.spaceslugs.com/ and you'll understand.

Nick M.

MegaSlug

2011-03-08T22:36:00.000-08:00

I've been talking about doing a pin-up for Darrin Stephens AKA Alien Ant. He's got a great new webcomic out there called Spaceslugs, right here: http://www.spaceslugs.com/. Well, I've finally gotten around to it and here are the pencils. Inks to follow tomorrow and maybe I can even talk someone into coloring if my fumbling hands can't do it.

Guest Webcomicker??

2011-03-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon to all of my artists-type friends out there, male, female and alien alike. My wife and I are having our 10th anniversary on June 30th and she's making me not work that week. So that would mean I can't get a strip out of for the 29th.

But, there is always a but, I don't want to sacrifice the flow of the story. This year is truly a fun one. The one artist that I would normally ask decided to go ahead and take on a pretty challenging project so he won't be available AND I think it would really be fun to see someone else's rendition of my characters, so... I'm looking for someone that might be interested in doing a guest strip for me.

Just let me know if you're interested. I'll make an attempt to write an actual script for the page and we can go from there.

Thanks!!

Nick M.

Shade

2011-03-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

I thought I had lost this drawing a long time ago. I still don't know where the original is, but at least I've got a digital copy. I found in a stack of CD's I was going through. I also found ultrasounds of my children on another one. But that's not for here.

This is a Shade. Maybe a Wraithe. Don't know what the original definitions are for those. To be honest. I don't care. It's MY intent for the name and this character that matter. No, he's not a zombie because I don't think he was ever alive, but he is hungry. Hungry for that which makes you live, the aura around you, your spirit, your soul.

Ink pen on sketch paper.

Desk Shot for TPANVB

2011-01-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a screen shot of an upcoming page for The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby. It's just the start of the new year, but I hope that the art and story telling is that much better than last year. Each page should be an improvement on the last.

I'm pretty proud of how this looks. Now I get to ink it.

Vargas Juxtapositions of the Third Octopi Nebula

2011-01-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted on here in a while. Thought I'd write down some of my thoughts. Hope you don't mind.

I need to stop putting so much weight in what other people think of me. Their opinions are based on miniscule observations of my overall being. They can't see what's within. They can't contemplate the clockwork engine that operates beneath the surface, fueled by the ether, the aura, the spector that floats around me. They can't see the colors and the sounds and the shapes that abstract my being into understanding on a higher plane.

They can only see the material, the dying and and replacing, the cells and organs. The shadows on the cave wall. They can only hear the minutia of of the process that slips out of the conscious onto the physical, fleeting moment of experience that is gone before our breathe escapes our lungs.

Only when I realize that absolute truth can I begin the existance me.

My Two Lovely Little Ladies

2010-12-27T10:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a christmas gift I put together for my wife, who's put up with me and my dysfunctional brain for almost ten years.

I had my girls pose for the camera dressed up, much like my brother and I had dressed when we pretended to be superheroes. I took some artistic liberty and such and totally blew off any detail or quality for the background. Right now, I'm just satisfied that I captured the feeling that I wanted. When we're kids, we're invincible. And it doesn't take much to bring us to the reality of our imagination. Perhaps I'll revist it at a later date and clean the background up. add some colors and all that.

Hockey game doodle

2010-11-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Crazy Mental Distortion Fields of an Insomniac

2010-09-21T22:34:00.001-07:00

Here is a sketch that I laid down tonight (this morning) at a frenetic pace. I was like a hound dog on the scent of some undisclosed query, but without the fur and quivering nose and yipping. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I was manic in my delivery of ink from my pen to the surface of the paper. I had to be, I had been lying in my bed with the idea slowly revolving and surfacing and constructing itself right inside my head. While I was trying to sleep, damn it!

So, I put it down for all of you to see and clap your thunderous applause and bow in your humble adoration.

The basic idea is that wherever you go, you plant seeds of yourself (get your minds out of the gutter) for them to ferment and grow. You are important to the bio/culture/technosphere around in that you allow it to grow and cultivate itself and you actively contribute to that whether you like it or not. It's an idea that I'm still trying to shove into my own very stubborn brain.

Here's some of the text from the piece in case it's not legible: From his head: (from top to bottom.)

- Every day must be as important as the next or we loose ourselves in time.

- Allow others to appreciate you.

- The human being exists not for its manual labor but for the beauty of it's mind.

- Love yourself.

- My ideas are the only way I can justify my existance here on Earth. (doesn't quite fit the positive flow of everything else, but it's there, so deal with it.)

- Love what you do.

And then the little paragraph behind the walking dude: Regardless of whether or not you believe in god, take solace and pleasure in the fact that you are a jumble of atoms put together in a cosmic mistake and given the prescious gift of knowing you are here.

A Simple Little Panel

2010-09-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, a simple little panel jumps out at me and I really like it. Here's one that contributes nothing to the story. Just an establishing shot leading to another establishing shot. Just a place for me to put my monologue.

But for some reason, I really like this panel. It's just cool.

Atomic Robo, Myers Style

2010-09-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my contribution to Red 5's request for Atomic Robo pin-up's. Atomic Robo is awesomesauce. That's right. He's awesomesuace.

Created by Brian Clevenger and Scott Wegener and published by Red 5, he's full of attitude and the writing and art in this series is smart and crisp and phenominal. Highly recommended to all.

Other contributions and info can be found here on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/red5comics?ref=ts

Me Not Lie. Hulk Chop Cherry Tree.

2010-08-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here's my attempt at muscles. Based on a challenge put forth to me by my friend and fellow artist, Anthony (ANMPH) Hary.

I actually did quite a bit of research into this. Despite my background in life drawing, The emphasis was on the human form, not the exagerated human form, as is common in most comics. So, I pulled as many body builder images I could find and went to work. I didn't want to pull from other artists because I wanted the art to be my own style.

I'm really interested in what you think of Hulk. Whether or not you think his limbs look appropriate to the muscle mass and so on. Lay it on me artists. Don't be kind. I need to improve.

Fundraising Opportunity

2010-08-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone.

I am currently working on an art porject that is going to require some funding on my part and I'm coming up short. So I'm going to sell my services to help meet that goal.

I do pencil portraits of people and animals that have been used for gifts for the holiday season or any other time of the year. I'm charging $30 for an 8 x 10 black and white pencil portrait.

Just so everything is on the up and up, I will not charge you anything until the portrait is finished. I'll send you a low resolution image of the finished art and then, if you like it, you can make the payment to my paypal account and I'll send you the completed artwork complete with frame.

Attached are some samples of previous portrait work I've done.

Ohh, you can contact me at floatingislandstudios@gmail.com if you're interested.

Iron Man

2010-08-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

Here's my first attempt at Iron Man, as suggested by my friend and partner at ANA Comics, Anthony "ANMPH" Hary. The reason he suggested it is a lot of my art is organic and filled with curves and soft lines. We thought it might be a challenge to draw something mechanical.

I'm happy with the way it turned out. All though I think it still looks more organic than mechanical. I've managed to turn Iron Man's armor into something a little more streamlined.

Darkseid

2010-07-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is my first blog sketch request for Jamie Gambell, via Twitter.

I'm going to try to do a sketch request once a week for people. If I don't get a request, then you'll just have to settle with what I want to draw. :) And if people want them, I might just send out the original sketch to them.

I have to admit, Darkseid is a character I know almost nothing about. I know he's a Superman villian. I personally think he looks a bit like Mongul, or vice versa. So, I had to do some image searches on Google to get a good feel of the guy. I tried to capture the feel of all those pictures and of the character. Anyway, here's Darkseid.

Children of Osiris

2010-07-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a page from a project that I'm working on with... myself.

It's a follow up to Harijan with the same central cast. It takes place a few years down the road as you can see from Virgil's new look and older appearance.

Skeksis from the Dark Crystal

2010-06-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

The Dark Crystal has always been a HUGE inspiration to me and I had just gotten a book called The World of the Dark Crystal. So, I decided to draw my own Skeksi. I'm feeling a bit ambitious and I might even attempt a sculpture of the Uru, or Mystics as they were known in the movie.

An Attempt at Technicolor

2010-06-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here's the second page of Harijan in my attempt to color. I might have a colorist working on this right now, but I need to see some of the pages before I can determine whether or not they'll work out.

The Sandman Cometh

2010-06-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a fellow artist's version of The Sandman, I decided to work up one of my own. I went with Neil Gaiman's version of The Sandman as that was one of the books that really inspired me to strive for good storytelling in my comics and not just rely on action.

On to Brighter Things - or - More Old Stuff

2010-03-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Warning, some nudity below as these are some Life Drawing pieces. Really want to get back into taking some classes whenever I get the time, which will be never. :)

Fighting the Beast

2010-03-23T09:06:00.001-07:00

At times, talking to people about my depression is such a trivial matter. The main problem is that there's no "real cause" for it. I've got a great job, a wonderful wife, 2 beautiful and funny girls. I've got an incredible support group of friends and family. But the Beast still sits there. Waiting to chew me up whenever it feels like it.

There doesn't have to be a trigger. I'm taking medication and I've seen a counselor. I'm well aware of how illogical it is to think of myself any less of a human being. But the Beast doesn't care about logic. That's one of the reasons people have issues with depression. Rational and logical approaches don't matter. It doesn't care.

I perfectly understand how it affects others around me. I understood before all the pharmaceutical ads told me it did. I don't like talking about it because I don't want it to feel like I'm fishing for compliments but at the same time, if you ignore it, it grows and festers inside you like a cancer.

So, I deal with it. I deal with it wit hthe help of my family and friends and a some Prozac and some counseling. I try and address it as rationally as I can and use every weapon at my disposal to keep it at bay. But sometimes, sometimes, the Beast just doesn't give a fuck what you try and do.

Bridging Generations

2010-03-07T08:16:00.001-08:00

Here is my daughter's contribution to my web comic, The Precarious Adventures of Newton Von Brisby. The largehand in the center is actually a hand tree from a poster in my office. There is a rather large daddy long leg and New is plying up into the air to battle his nemisis who is surrounded by a dark force field. This is my first piece of fan art. I think I will actually include it in a print collection of the series if we ever get around to collecting it.

I'm very proud of her work, as any father should be, and plan on ecouraging her to write her own stories and draw her own pictures to expand that sponge-like 6 yr old brain.

Dusting off the archives part duex

2010-03-03T18:44:00.001-08:00

To prove to folks that I am not only a comic book artist, I present to you some paintings that I've done over the years. Most of these I did with the help of my girls as they helped me brush in the backgrounds or use their handprints. It makes the experience that much more incredible with their jpy involved, even though I do tend to be a bit controlling at times.

I don't know where you would classify my art. I don't really want it to be classified as a matter of fact.

I've done more paintings that I'll eventually get imaged and uploaded but these are the acryllics I have digitally archived at this time. More to come.

Dusting off the Archives

2010-03-01T21:26:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd try a change of place here on the ol' Blog for a while and revisit some of my older work. Some things from college, some things from doodle pads, some stuff from late night coffee and cigarette binges at Denny's. So here's my first contribution, 4 pieces of art from an Applied Art Class I took at Kendall College of Art and Design. Think they are mostly Tombo Pen with colored pencils for highlight and texture.

My frustrated manifesto

2010-02-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

Why is it so wrong to hope and strive for a world where people take care of one another instead scratching and clawing in a vain attempt to get to the top of a worthless pile of dung, only to be pushed aside by the next ruthless, soulless being to climb up. How did our world get to the point that the only way to support your family is to grab and claw and fight for every little crumb. What satisfaction am I supposed to take from supporting my family if the work that I do isn't noble?

I was recently in a meeting where one of our higher ups from my day job used the phrase "What we do is a noble thing." No. It's not. Far from it. What we do, and I include all of Corporate America in this, is the opposite of noble. To be noble is to sacrifice yourself for the betterment of others. To be noble is to suffer so that others don't have to. There is nothing noble in grabbing for your chunk of the market share.

That's one of the reasons why I was and still am, excited about what we;re doing at ANA Comics. It truly isn't about making money. It's about creating an environment that encourages others to meet their potential and rise above it and beyond. It's about creating a company that lowers themselves to the ground to pick you up and dust you off and send you on your way with our support.

I need the opportunity to find a "job" that fits that bill. Does that job even exist? Something where you can support your family and still be proud of the work that you've done? Where, at the end of the day, you can wipe the dirt off your hands and step back and look at what you've done and HONESTLY say that it's a good thing? Am I just being the stubborn ideologist? Am I being ignorant to the ways of the world? Would it be better for my family if I just shrugged my shoulders and said "that's the way of the world" and proceeded to tear my neighbors throat out to make the money that I need?

We've become a society of thieves and vampires and we've been told to accept it. We've been told countless times that THIS is the way the world works. I can't bring myself to accept that. I can't bring myself to rape and pillage just because it benifits my family. If that makes me a bad father and husband, then so be it.

There needs to be a change in this world. A drastic change. We need to find a way so that we don't have to tread on our neighbors face and hands to advance up the mountain of dung. We need to find a way so that we don't have to punch and gouge and scrape our way to the top. We need to find a way so that we can provide our own broad shoulders for the foundation of others to climb up and maybe, just maybe, they'll retunr the favor and allow you a chance to climb up and see over the horizon.

This tirade doesn't come near to satisfying the frustration that's eating away at my insides but I hope it's a start. I hope that anyone reading can walk away and maybe, just once in their day, stop and help someone out. Grab that taxi for the man next to you instead of leaping in front of him. Give that stranger on the bus the extra 50 cents they need to get the ride. Offer up your seat on the subway to the stranger standing in front of you. Buy the coffee for the guy behind you in line at your favorite coffee shop.

I can't tell if I'm screaming in vain to the empty heavens or if this rant will have any effect on the world. And I know that my primary responsibility is to the welfare of my girls and to my wife. So I will continue to do what I have to to keep them safe and secure and comfortable. But I WON'T stop railing against a system I see is corrupt.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading.

Nicholas P. Myers

The Contradictions of being an artist

2010-02-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

I hope this doesn't come across as some sort of selfish rant, but I needed some way to let my frustration leak out in the ethosphere. There is a definite duality to life if you're one who is considered an artist. You are expected to be the one with the creative answers. You are expected to have an opinion regarding any type of design aspect in other people's lives. And you are expected to present yourself as a normal, fully functional human being.

At the same time, you have to pretend that your emotions do not rule your life. You should put forth the false notion that you can behave rationally in any situation. As an adult, you are expected to handle your life exactly as every other rational human being would and fit in.

Because of these things, I am ashamed of my artistic impulses. I am ashamed that I think it's funny to have colorful toe socks, which are actually very comfortable. I worry that I'm not presenting myself as the proper father figure because I am given to emotional ebbs and flows.

I am frustrated by the fact that I have to come and sit in the tan cubicle day after day in order to provide for my family. I am frustrated that I have to do this instead of pursuing my passion properly. I understand the necessity of it but I am still frustrated by it.

I wish people would understand that life hurts me and pleases me to much more of an extent than the rational mind because I don't have a true filter for it. My life is a sensory based life where every pleasure and pain is amplified 10 fold and it can have a physuical affect on me. Causing anxiety and depression. And I would love to have someone tell me they understand how I feel instead of telling me I need to find a better way to deal with it. I know I have to find a better way to deal with it. I am not ignorant of my position as a father and a husband.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope I didn't push too many buttons. But I feel better now. :)

Nick M.

2010-02-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

I found a wonderful site out there for some great reference photos that will be perfect once I visit The Harijan series again. Lots of great photo references from run down Detroit areas that I think can give me much more detail and character that I could get from just pulling it out of my head. The trick is going to be able to use these photos as references in the pages without making them stand out too much in comarison with the rest of the page. Anyway, here's the link for the site:

http://www.marchandmeffre.com/

Being able to look back and smile.

2010-02-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

This is a very important part of my life. My childhood and my family. Some people, unfortunately were not blessed with the childhood and family that I had when I was growing up. I think these were very important in shaping who I am today, so I'd like to share something with you today. My uncle put together a website with some old pictures of my grandparents when they were young and he also included some old home videos that my family made.

Now, I'm not talking about boring home videos of hours of kids unwrapping presents, but actual scripted movies with plots and brilliant acting. Well, maybe it wasn't brilliant acting. And the soundtrack was a boombox played by my other uncle.

So check the link out if you've got the time and let me know what you think!!

http://blandinghistory.shutterfly.com/

Mikey from TMNT. Hockey game sketch #2.

2010-02-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick sketch I did of Michaelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A kind of first time warm up sketch as I've drawn the Turtles before and from the fun I had on this one, I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

A picture that blows my mind.

2010-02-12T09:58:00.001-08:00

A while ago, while immersed in the mind numbing data of the internet, this photo came to me. I was searching for some reference photos of the Garthim from The Dark Crystal and the artist who created this photo was named Garthim, apparently.

I am simultaneously in love with this photo and afraid of it. The story or the world that this image opens up is both terrifying and fascinating. I think that's an integral part of any artwork. It needs to play on both sides of the human experience.

I want to make this picture part of a writing workshop through http://www.anacomics.com/ and just post the picture and make the goal be to write a story behind or inspired by the photo. I have a story that has been building in this world but I don't want to put it out for fear of changing your experience on viewing the picture. Perhaps I'll post it a later date?

10 min sketch during Wing's game

2010-02-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

Threw this on my sketch while I was listening to Larry Murphy break down the second period of tonight's hockey game. Felt good to just sit and let something flow out of my pen instead of trying to think about what to draw.

First Impressions

2010-02-11T15:09:00.000-08:00

Imagine that this blog doesn't feel like your first date in high school, with both you and your significant other akwardly feeling along in the dark for something familar to hold onto. Imagine instead that this a chance encounter with a stranger on the street who just happens to catch your attention. With that in mind, I want the opportunity to hold that attention for a little while longer.

I've got outlets such as Twitter and Facebook and my own comics company which I run, partnered with two other great individuals, Anthony Hary and Adrian Wilkins. http://www.anacomics.com/. But I want this blog to exist as a seperate entity from those other outlets, as well as an extension of them and myself.

So, this is my first attempt at a blog and I will try many more. I will consider this place a dump site for all the data that builds in my head. All the ideas and images and stories and worlds that swim to existance out of the chaotic grey mist of my mind. Right now is just a clumsy introduction. Hopefully, later, you'll give me the opportunity to wow you with my mind.