Great work, very impressive.
Thanks again, guys!
JGerman: Back in 2001 I sent Bob Kennedy a pack of samples (bodybuilding art). In my total shock, he actually called me 3 days later and asked me to send him everything I have pertaining to bbing and he would buy it! He told me he receives over 100 packs of artists’ samples WEEKLY, and they’re mostly crap, but said I was “the cream of the crop”.
So I did as he requested for almost 3 years sending anything I felt like drawing (bodybuilding wise). Then in '04, he “contracted” me to do the Muscle Bites section every month, and I’m still doing them as well as some full-page stuff recently.
I work in an old version of Adobe Illustrator, which is a vector-based app. Images can enlarge with no loss of quality. Plus, they’re relatively much smaller file size than raster images.
I don’t use any stylus and pad gadgets… just the mouse. I start all my drawings as pencil on paper, then scan, then re-trace it cleanly in Illustrator. Then I color them using simple radial and linear gradients. It’s really fun.
That is sweet! Glad to see it work out like that for ya.
100% Awesome.
Man I feel freaking stupid for not making the connection before this. No wonder those images looked so familiar.
Awesome stuff, Mark.
Some talented mofos around these parts…
haha nice. The one on your website with the big guy in the cubicle is hilarious. And I think we can all relate to the one with the big guy looking in the mirror and seeing anorexia staring him in the face.
Two Thumbs UP!
[quote]NewDamage wrote:
Man I feel freaking stupid for not making the connection before this. No wonder those images looked so familiar.
Awesome stuff, Mark.[/quote]
'Scuse the hijack, but where you been hiding?
Sure.
Here she is doing some yoga/meditation.
Oh… you wanted the nude version?
[quote]RSGZ wrote:
NewDamage wrote:
Man I feel freaking stupid for not making the connection before this. No wonder those images looked so familiar.
Awesome stuff, Mark.
'Scuse the hijack, but where you been hiding?[/quote]
Word up yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I’ve been here; just lack the energy to post most of the time.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
Thanks again, guys!
JGerman: Back in 2001 I sent Bob Kennedy a pack of samples (bodybuilding art). In my total shock, he actually called me 3 days later and asked me to send him everything I have pertaining to bbing and he would buy it! He told me he receives over 100 packs of artists’ samples WEEKLY, and they’re mostly crap, but said I was “the cream of the crop”.
So I did as he requested for almost 3 years sending anything I felt like drawing (bodybuilding wise). Then in '04, he “contracted” me to do the Muscle Bites section every month, and I’m still doing them as well as some full-page stuff recently.
I work in an old version of Adobe Illustrator, which is a vector-based app. Images can enlarge with no loss of quality. Plus, they’re relatively much smaller file size than raster images.
I don’t use any stylus and pad gadgets… just the mouse. I start all my drawings as pencil on paper, then scan, then re-trace it cleanly in Illustrator. Then I color them using simple radial and linear gradients. It’s really fun.
[/quote]
Your stuff is great, very original. I am amazed that you are using only radial and linear gradients, no gradient mesh at all? No wonder they rasterize do nice and clean. How old is your AI, must be 7 I’m guessing? Just shows once again that it’s the talent, not the software.
My daughter is really good at freehand drawing. At what age did you start developing your own style of illustration? She was really hooked on anime for a long while, but is starting to break out of that style, mostly portrait work, she is really good with drawing faces.
From what I see of your work, I bet you do amazing woodcut style drawings too. Great stuff!
so cooooool
good job! I may have to check this out also.
Do you draw for any women’s magazines? (not that they don’t look at Muscle Mag)
Is this what you do full-time? if so, congratulations on paying the bills by doing what you love to do. They are all amazing drawings and makes me even more envious that i never had the touch to draw 
I’m a little shocked that some folks never noticed before actually -lol.
And lemme just add, he’s a helluva nice guy. On an older thread we were discussing ‘artistic’ type stuff, and I sent Dwarf a few PMs asking about his work method. Very informative, and definitely cool so see how others approach their work.
S
That’s cool!
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Iron Dwarf wrote:
Oh… you wanted the nude version?
I know for sure you’d think less of me if I said no. Pleeeeeezzz indulge me.[/quote]
PM. 
[quote]dianab wrote:
Your stuff is great, very original. I am amazed that you are using only radial and linear gradients, no gradient mesh at all? No wonder they rasterize do nice and clean. How old is your AI, must be 7 I’m guessing? Just shows once again that it’s the talent, not the software.
My daughter is really good at freehand drawing. At what age did you start developing your own style of illustration? She was really hooked on anime for a long while, but is starting to break out of that style, mostly portrait work, she is really good with drawing faces.
From what I see of your work, I bet you do amazing woodcut style drawings too. Great stuff!
[/quote]
Thanks Di! No, I never use the Gradient Mesh, and rarely use the Blend Tool (maybe just for odd-shaped backgrounds). I’m using Illustrator 8. It’s snappier, faster, handles easier than newer versions. I don’t need all the new bells and whistles.
Have your daughter draw from life. I started out at age 2 drawing Disney characters. But I got really good once I started drawing from life and keenly observing everything.I used to do woodcut style drawings back in the 80s! Thanks again.
[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
so cooooool
good job! I may have to check this out also.
Do you draw for any women’s magazines? (not that they don’t look at Muscle Mag)[/quote]
Thanks OG!
I draw for “American Curves”, but it’s a soft-core mag for dudes. I also draw for a teen girl mag called “M Magazine”, as well as “Highlight Puzzle Buzz” for kids, “Redmond Magazine” (which is funny because it’s a PC mag and I work on a Mac), and sometimes “Consumer Reports”. I still dream of doing work for Time, Rolling Stone, etc.
[quote]confusedjake wrote:
Is this what you do full-time? if so, congratulations on paying the bills by doing what you love to do. They are all amazing drawings and makes me even more envious that i never had the touch to draw :([/quote]
Thanks Jake
Yes, I do it full time. I was a graphic designer since 1988 doing ads, brochures, logos, catalogs etc. But I always wanted to do illustration only. Then I quit graphic design and signed on with an artists’ agent back in early '02 and she gets me a lot of work (besides my own clients). I’m now fortunate to pull in low 6 figures just drawing pictures.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
And lemme just add, he’s a helluva nice guy. On an older thread we were discussing ‘artistic’ type stuff, and I sent Dwarf a few PMs asking about his work method. Very informative, and definitely cool so see how others approach their work.[/quote]
Backatcha, Stu! Thanks!
Yeah, you’re among a select group of artistically talented people here. I would bet that the general public would be surprised at the variety of talents (musicians, artists, writers, photogs, etc) the iron community holds.
And who said all guys from Jersey were guido’s.?
Great work ID.
[quote]DickBag wrote:
iron dwarf, you are the man.[/quote]
Indeed, a quality person and damn good artist and lifter!
D