robot love

This airduct looks like a robot to me. I will use it as inspiration for some robot in future Magic Trixie books. My iPhoto is filled with these odd little things. Some pattern or light source will catch my eye and I'll snap a photo of it to use in a comic or paint a painting of....I never know where or when I might see them so I try to keep my camera with me at all times.

just added-more schwag

So, I'm going to try some new stuff for ComicCon this year.
Every time I bring original art with me, no one wants it, they ask for Prints or Cards or something they can carry around without squashing...if I bring Prints, then everyone asks for Original art....But, if I don't bring it- everyone wants it, until I bring it.
I've decided to have some embroidered patches made. These are some of the designs I'm working with.


This way they can be sewn onto any tshirt, hat,jacket, totebag, jeans butt pocket, backpack or whatever.
I thought these were good, highlighting some of my characters, but also generally appealing to kids, les gothiques, monster and halloween lovers and those who love all things kawaii. And, most importantly, they are something that I'd decorate my ghoul scout sash with, to be sure.
Plus, technically- they are limited edition patches. So- kinda collectors items
If there are any characters you'd like to see in the future-I am open to requests.

Magic Trixie Trilogy

Magic Trixie and the Dragon is available this month. Please search them out. I'm have a next to impossible time finding them in the bookstores (SNIFSADSOB) despite the fact that they are published by Harper Collins. I have a feeling that grass roots publicity is in order with me doing the grass rootsing. SO- ALL of the books are available on Amazon.com...and I've been nicely supported by some great comics shops.
But just in case you've never heard of Magic Trixie, and think I was not writing,drawing and painting anything over the past three years- this is your heads up! They make a great gift for the younger readers you might know who you'd like to introduce the comics medium to! And, as with Scary Godmother, I made sure that the tale was enjoyable for us big kids as well.
Hopefully I'll be able to do more Magic Trixie stories at some point in other shapes and sizes!

A small break

Painting comics is taking me such a long time, but I'm finally finished with Beasts of Burden #2 (here's a page to hopefully whet your appetites for supernatural dog capers) and driving straight into #3. I had to go out and buy all new brushes today (because as you can see , I don't have nearly enough...) as I've painted all the pointedy tips off of the ones I had. They all go into the 'fill in washes' cup now. I have a good handful now, but I'll have to remember to switch them out while I paint or I'll start out with a fine outline and end up with a medium one. I 'spose it takes me a long time because if I break you down into traditional comics jobs, I'm pencilling, coloring and inking, but without the efficiency of the assembly line process of a 'creative team'. I never hand it off to another guy to add to it, because that other guy is also me! So instead of everything overlapping, it's me finishing and starting and finishing and starting...but the end result is worth the effort. I just want it to be a hit.
Thank goodness I have a bit of time to squeeze in an Italian lesson, and grow salad greens for us to eat, and time to sing little songs to Archie the cat. And, the weather is finally suitable for the Flower Bike to bloom again. Now if only I could find me a Can Can skirt and ruffly undapants to ride around in. And I have to get the script in to Ms. Shelly Bond for the Second Little Endless Story book! So- that means, I have to get the jumble in my head out in proper order on a page! Or a screen as it were. I'm feeling very creative, but my human limitations are holding me back! Fingers that cramp and shoulders that betray me. I'd better get my pencil now while the good old right arm is still fluid!

Commissions For San Diego!

Well, I know that it has been a long time since I updated this blog...and what do I really have to blather about? Well, an Eisner nomination for Magic Trixie, which is awesome. I won't be modest---I hope I win! Not for me as a person, but for Magic Trixie as a book. My brain is full of stories for the whole cast and crew. Mostly about Grampy and Gramberry, which is kind of interesting. You should be in my brain in the morning while I'm in the shower. That's where I seem to roll the films about their past and the dirigibles and the war and the dragons and all of their adventures...I've got some cool sketches and li'l paintings and stuff and I'm going to try and put together an ashcan for the Big Comic Book...I mean multimedia extravaganza that used to be about comic books...called The San Diego Comic Con International.
And speaking about the Comic Con international. I will, once again be sitting with Brian Wood and Cliff Chiang in last years bustling spot on the aisle. Magic Trixie #3 will be out and I will have xeroxed copies of the upcoming Beasts of Burden book (written by the talented Evan Dorkin) that I'm illustrating for Dark Horse.

So- let's get down to it. I know it is still a few months away, BUT! THE COLOR COMMISSION LIST is now OPEN for requests!
If you would like to be the proud purchaser of a Jill Thompson Color Commission here are the exciting rules.
All Color commissions will be in Watercolor on fine art paper or watercolor board.
And- I will only be able to do a limited number of each because of me regular deadlines and show prep. I'll post here when the 'line' is capped.

11 x 17 illustration- one character with a detailed background start at 1000.00. Additional characters can be added for an additional 250.00.
8 x 10 -one character with a detailed background starts at 500.00 with additional characters added at 250.00 each.

watercolor illustration of a character, no background at all 350.00
Black and white watercolor painting of a character, also with no background 250.00

I will only be able to draw black and white pen and ink sketches for folks at the show itself as I have learned that it is too crazy and busy to try to paint, sign things and man a table at the same time. And, I have an unfortunate knack for washing out my paintbrush in my iced coffee...while it makes your painting sepia toned and olde tyme looking- it makes my coffe taste not so nice...

All of these commissions will be available at the time of San Diego ( none before hand-sorry) at my table.
Cash is great...PayPal is also an option. But- let's arrange payment once you are on the list. Leave a comment with your request and e-mail and I will get back to you. Or- find me on Facebook and send me a message with a friend request that mentions San Diego Commissions and I will friend you!

As far as I know, Cliff and Brian and I will be at the same table we were at last year. But I don't want to post a number in case we get assigned a new one. I'll post things here and on Facebook as I get info.

things that is new!

While In NYC for the NYC ComiCon, I was fortunate enough to spend a little time with friends and collaborators, Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer. I got to see their coolio daughter, Emily who is pretty amazing to see. Not only is she adorable, but, you can see her analyzing things, absorbing the world and think, think, thinking about things. She likes Magic Trixie which makes me very happy and brought them along so I could make a drawing in them for her. Then she sat with her friend and they read them. Not pretended to read them- really read them. I know this because her parents tell me she does that herself at home! And, she's under five! So, that's a stellar review as far as I'm concerned. Check her out!
Evan and I signed at the Dark Horse Booth and pushed our newest collaboration, Beasts of Burden, featuring those dogs that fight the supernatural that we've all come to love. If you're not familiar with their first four adventures you can find them in the anthology series from Dark Horse called "The Dark Horse Book of..." Hauntings, Witches, The Dead and Monsters. I'm sure you can find them here on the internet or go to your local comic book shop or bookstore and get yourself some copies.
The Beasts of Burden Hill are at it again, barking at cars, chasing their tales and investigating strange supernatural occurrences. Here's a couple of pages so you can see what things look like...We've got four issues of BEASTS OF BURDEN coming out, all painted by me, written by Evan and lettered by Jason Arthur. Look for it late summer, so I am told....

Long Time No Post

Well, I certainly have been seduced by Facebook...yeesh! I've been neglecting you dear blog, I'm so sorry about that...so i will give you something good.

Everyone thinks I designed Grampy from Magic Trixie to look like Brian now that he has a cowboy mustasche and long whiskers...but I really was thinking about my own Papa. His general attitude, for what I remember of it. or maybe it's the attitude I've now assigned to him, since he passed away when I was five. He always had time for me, and a story and stuff.