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May 15th, 2012
Posted In: Uncategorized — brent @ 12:59 pm

Springcon is upon us once again. Minnesota’s biggest and best two day comic convention. March 19th-20th at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. I’ll be there with copies of all my books and also doing commissions. It’s always a great show and I hope to see you there.

May 8th, 2012
Posted In: sketch — brent @ 5:53 am

Around 1991 I was a trading card collecting freak. From Marvel Comics trading cards to the Tim Burton Batman movie collectors card set, if it had stale bubble gum in it, I was probably collecting it. MTV got into game with a YO! MTV Raps card set. While I would probably have been more into a Headbangers Ball series I was a big fan of the Dr. Dre and Ed Lover show.

The card set was pretty whack. I remember getting stuck with about four Tone Loc cards, but it did have an awesome Beastie Boys card. Which is the inspiration for today’s sketch.

May 6th, 2012
Posted In: sketch — brent @ 9:06 pm

Last Friday Adam Yauch, MCA from the band, The Beastie Boys, lost his battle with cancer. The Beastie Boys were my Beatles. I was and still am heart broken. It always felt like each Beastie Boys album came out at perfect times in my life. I specifically remember Hello Nasty coming out right as I moved to Minneapolis. I didn’t know a single person here but bringing up the topic of that album was instant conversation starter. It initiated relationships that I still have to this day. I owe so much of who I am to that band that knowing that I’ll never see all three of the original members together is going to be hard to get used to for quite some time.

I just wrapped up a month long sketch drive to benefit the National Parkinson’s Foundation. I’m really proud of the money that was raised for it. I really wanted to take a week off of doing morning sketches but I can’t. This week will be all Beastie Boys related sketches. Probably based off some personal memories I have of the band. Once I’ve finished the week of sketches I may auction them off and donate the money to cancer research. I’ve already lost one of my idols to this terrible disease, least I can do is try and prevent that from happening to someone else.

The first sketch is based of a great picture taken by my friend Chris Peters at the 1994 Lollapalooza. This was right around the release of the Ill Communication album. I was a freshmen in high school. I remember riding my bike down to Denzil’s Music Emporium in Beloit, Wisconsin and buying the cassette. Riding as fast as I could back home and listening to it about three times in a row.
Brent

April 9th, 2012
Posted In: Comic Conventions — brent @ 7:34 pm

Chicago’s biggest and best comic convention is upon us this week. C2E2 starts this Friday, August 13th and goes till Sunday the 15th at the McCormick Place. I will be sharing a table with Mitch Gerads, who will have plenty of copies of his amazing Image Comic book, The Activity. We will be at artist alley table M-19. I will also be signing at the Archaia booth (529) at these times.

Friday- 2:30-4:00pm

Saturday- 10:00am-12:00pm

Sunday- 10:00am- 12:00pm

Here’s a handy dandy map that will help you find us.

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I posted my rates for the summer convention season before but here they are again. I will also have copies of Horrorwood, Astronaut Dad, and Mr. Murder is Dead for sale.

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Josh Flanagan of IFanboy has been doing a great job on the Make Comics podcast. Recently he hosted myself and artist Dave Marquez on the show. I had a really fun time chatting about all things related to the job. From figuring out a schedule, to how best to promote yourself, and pitch a project. The show will be up this coming Thursday, August 12th while I am in Chicago. You should be able to find it here.

Brent

March 19th, 2012
Posted In: Sketch for the Cure — brent @ 4:25 am

Proud to announce all slots for the sketch fundraiser have been filled. Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word and especially to those who have donated. It means a lot to me. 
Saturday May 12th is the National Parkinson Foundation Moving Day Twin Cities. Five years ago my mom began experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and while they can’t officially diagnose the disease it’s there, and it’s evil, and we need to find a cure. So this year I am going to do my part and run a sketch marathon with all proceeds going to the National Parkinson Foundation. We are lucky that the Twin Cities are one of several locations holding an official walk.  I will be there with my mom and close friends and family to show her our support.

I know times are tough and there are many good causes putting on events this time of year. I wanted to do something unique to help get people interested in donating. Every morning I take about twenty minutes  to do warm-up sketches before I begin my work day.  I post the sketches to my Facebook and Twitter pages. People have really taken to them, so I am auctioning off my morning warm-up sketch time during the month of April.  I am hoping to fill 30 slots in 30 days for $30.00, although more generous donations are appreciated.

Here’s the details.

  • Email me through my website with your slot request, I will respond with my address so that you can send the check to me made out to the   National Parkinson Foundation of Minnesota
  • Drawings will be of fictional characters only, no pets, family members or tattoo requests
  • I will cover all shipping costs so that 100% of donations go directly to the National Parkinson Foundation of Minnesota
  • All drawings will be black and white and done on 9×12 Bristol Board
  • Drawings will ship during the month of May

If you are not interested in the sketch drive but would still like to make a donation to the National Parkinson Foundation on behalf of our team, please click here.

http://www3.parkinson.org/site/TR/MovingDayEvent/NationalParkinsonFoundationMinnesotaChapter?px=1077801&pg=personal&fr_id=1120

My goal is to raise money for the National Parkinson Foundation and have fun while doing it! Thanks so much for visiting my site, reading this and making a donation for Parkinson’s disease!
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February 19th, 2012
Posted In: Comic Conventions — brent @ 12:15 pm

With convention season just around the corner I decided to post a nice handy guide for my commission rates which can now be pre-ordered before any of the cons I am attending this year.
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Here are the shows I will be attending this year.

  • C2E2 in Chicago, IL on April 13-16th
  • Springcon in St. Paul, Mn on May 19th & 20th
  • Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC on June 22-24th
  • Fallcon in St. Paul, MN on October 6th

You can pre-order a piece by me to be ready for pick up at the show. I just simply ask for half the payment up front and the other half upon delivery at a con or before I mail the final artwork. Please contact me through the email above if you have any more questions.Hope to see you at a show this year.
Brent

February 16th, 2012
Posted In: Uncategorized — brent @ 7:39 pm

Here’s the cover to this week’s Vita.Mn magazine. The American Idiot Broadway show is coming to Minneapolis. This one was a lot of fun to do so make sure to go out and snag a copy this week.

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Brent

February 14th, 2012
Posted In: Mr. Murder — brent @ 7:22 am

Sorry for the lack of updates to the old website. Been busy traveling and working. Going to try and keep a bunch of new artwork for the new site that is slowly but surely coming as well.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to give you a little Valentines Day gift though. Here’s a little something something from the creators of Mr. Murder is Dead. Be sure to cut them out and give them to a love one, or someone you love to hate.

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January 17th, 2012
Posted In: News — brent @ 12:48 pm

It is my pleasure to announce that I am one of the twenty five Minneosota based illustrators participating in Illo Minn volume 3 show over at the College of Visual Arts gallery in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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This biennial Illustration exhibition celebrates the unique and inventive work of select Minnesota illustrators. Each participating illustrator will exhibit a printed illustration accompanied by its original artwork, an additional original artwork of their choice, and a Moleskine with a cover individually decorated by the illustrator.

These unique one-of-a-kind decorated Moleskines will be sold in a silent auction during the exhibition reception. This silent auction will close at 7:30 p.m. Funds raised through the auction will go toward the CVA Scholarship Fund.

Featured Illustrators

Shannon Brady Leland Klanderman
Francesca Buchko Robin Moline
Mike Carina Lindsay Nohl
Nancy Carlson James O’Brien
Julie Delton Ryan Peltier
Charles Griak Rick Peterson
Andres Guzman Andy Powell
Eric Hanson Lucas Richards
LK Hanson Brent Schoonover
Carrie Hartman Herb Schnabel
DC Ice Vincent Stall
Colin Johnson Melodee Strong

Guest Exhibitor

Malcolm Liepke

Exhibition Run

February 3 – March 3, 2012

Opening Reception

Thursday, February 2, 2012
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Silent Auction
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Panel Discussion

Thursday, February 9, 2012
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

December 28th, 2011
Posted In: Year in Review — brent @ 6:46 pm

How a year goes by. Seems like I just recapped 2010. Well another year is officially in the books. I have to say 2011 was pretty darn great. Overall it was a nice balance of personal work and commercial work, which is always my main goal going into every year. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does it’s a thing of beauty. Our daughter Josie turned one in November and she’s a little walking, talking, ball of goofy. The first year brings so many moments it’s really hard to remember them all. Other non work related highlights are sort of small in nature but still goals I set out to do at the beginning of the year. Exercise more, and do more personal sketching. I’ve been able to do both for the most part and look to continue them throughout 2012.
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On the work side of things I must start off by talking about the release of Mr. Murder is Dead. It has become my favorite project I’ve ever done and I couldn’t have worked with a better crew than the folks at Archaia and Before the Door Pictures. Starting the book in December of 2010 I worked like mad to get it published in time for Comic Con in July. It all came together and turned out great. Attending San Diego & New York Comic Cons were some of the best experiences Nicole and I have ever had. Hopefully we can all work together again soon.

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I’ve gotten to meet some really great artists and creators by going out and promoting the book. It’s been a blast to meet many of the fine folks who’s artwork inspires me everyday through social networking sites like Twitter.
Freelance was really good, and lots of projects like the Darkotic Shooting Targets I’ve done for Birchwood Casey shall keep on going throughout the next year. I continue to do local magazine covers and also got the chance to work on some film posters, something I’ve always want to do. My first experience working on iPhone and iPad video games came this past July. This is something I’m really interested in doing more of and I’m going to try and make a point to work on my own games shortly. I think there’s some great opportunities there for artists to get their work out and make some decent money in doing so. We shall see.

Hopefully the coming twelve months will continue to point upwards much like this past year has. I still need get the next comic project going. It’s taken me more time than anticipated. It’s worked in a way though as a wave of commercial work has come in over the last couple months. Which is always good for covering the mortgage and those pesky student loans. Here’s some goals for myself over the next year.

Cinitq- Ha! It’s an annual tradition to put that on here. I did just purchase a new computer so this is sort of the last really big purchase I need for the studio. We’ll see if it happens.

Website- I am in the early stages of updating the website. It needs a makeover and good friend  Jason Nelson is working on expanding it to have a store, new portfolio, and an all around fresh look. This will happen and hopefully it will be happening rather soon.

Conventions- I really want to continue to try and get to at least one new con I’ve never been to this year. I probably won’t have anything new to promote until later in the year but still it’s always fun to try a new convention. Last year was NYCC. This year I’d like to try one of the smaller cons like Heroes in Charlotte or Fan Expo in Toronto.

Drink and Draw- So many cities have some great get togethers with artists for draw nights. You simply go sit at a bar and draw. Maybe it’s a theme or maybe it’s just whatever you feel like doing. Since starting up a daily ritual of drawing warm up sketches again I would really like to get something like this going with a few fellow cartoonists in town. We already have a meet up on a semi regular basis at one of my favorite bars in Minneapolis. Maybe we can convert it to a draw night?

Astronaut Dad- This past October we got the collected Astronaut Dad together in time for New York Comic Con. We were hoping to have it available digitally in a variety of formats and also have a website up to buy a hard copy version. Due to some snags we are a little behind on this, but we will have the book available and ready to go shortly after the new year. It reads so well collected, I’m really excited to push it out there for people to enjoy.

There are many more goals I could list but I am keeping it simple for 2012. All the best to you and yours and thanks for checking out my work. I really appreciate anyone who comes to the site, or my Facebook and Twitter pages. It means a lot to me. Happy new year.

Brent

 
© 2012 brentschoonover.com