Bottle in the frost

My eyes have failed for Thy word, saying: when will Thou comfort me? For I am become like a bottle in the frost; I have not forgot Thy justice. -Psalm 118

Those verses evoked the image of Bottle Miku with her hair frozen, and since I see Miku as a frequent symbolic figure of the soul, especially associated with Christmas, I wanted to do this. It's for a friend, who introduced me to Vocaloid and whom I also associate with Christmas.

Clockwork Dancer coming soon for patrons

Jon Del Arroz, the writer and letterer of Clockwork Dancer, has announced that he's working to get the first issue available for patrons of his Patreon on New Year's Day!

It's about a Scottish inventor and former member of Queen Victoria's secret service who has made an living automaton. There are clockwork robots in various shapes and sizes, steam cars and industrial architecture and airships and fun things like that!

I'm not on Twitter so I can't answer wdcttrsdaughter directly, but it is slightly linked to Coppelia in that when we were first discussing a collaboration, I did this sketch inspired by the ballet:

And Mr. Del Arroz jumped off from there!

Bovodar and a bear, and a mole

Character sketches for the upcoming graphic novel Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson:

Bovodar Yarkery, our main character, a young man who likes to explore and make maps.

Grep Humblemine, a mole who is Bovodar's butler.

Dandar Tapperbear, an ambitious young bear on a mission.

You can read the first seven pages of this comic here, or buy the novel on which it's based for Kindle or now in paperback!

And sign up for the newsletter to get updates on this project!

Paper Doll Veronika Christmas break

My webcomic, Paper Doll Veronika, is taking a week off of necessity. In all the Christmas bustle, I didn't get the time to prepare another update's worth of pages. Sometime I need to build up a buffer once again, I hope it will be soon. In the meanwhile, I put together a placeholder especially for this season, so I'd like to share it as a Christmas greeting.

Merry Christmas!

The paperback is finally here!

As of Christmas Eve, Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson is available for the first time as a physical book!

So, we did not have it ready for arrival by Christmas Day, but it would be a good use of any Amazon gift-cards you may have received; or if you, like me, give presents on Epiphany as well, it would make a great gift for anyone who likes to read fantasy adventure, especially boys ages 8-16 or so.

In celebration, I increased the preview of the graphic novel based on this book to seven pages! I hope you enjoy both. I certainly do.

Bovodar and the Bears comic preview

Sign up for the newsletter to get updates on this project!

The novel, by Jack Mikkelson a.k.a. Laramie Hirsch, on which this comic is based is available on Kindle and now in paperback! 

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 14, "Little-Two Steps Back", is posted!
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Bears!

Some panel details from the upcoming Bovodar and the Bears graphic novel, and here's an early character concept design:

Sign up for the newsletter to get updates on this graphic novel project.

The novel on which it is based is currently on Kindle for only 99 cents and will soon be available for the first time in paperback! We are really getting close now!

Clockwork Dancer sneak peek lettering video

Jon Del Arroz, writer of the steampunk comic Clockwork Dancer, for which I'm doing the lineart, is also doing the lettering, and you can get a preview of the comic in this livestream he did of his work process:



Issue 1 will be coming out in digital form soon; as he says in the stream, as soon as he's done with the lettering! I will let you know as soon as it's available!

We were Number One!

I was astounded to see that a couple days ago, The Day-by-Day Coloring Books of Saints achieved Number One New Release status in the category of Children's Christian Biographies and then in the category of Religious Arts and Photography:

Isn't that something! It still may be ordered in time for Christmas.

Bovodar and the Bears comic page 1

Here is the first page of the upcoming Bovodar and the Bears graphic novel, based on the novel of the same name, which is currently available on Kindle for only 99 cents, and will soon be available in paperback!

I'm so pleased with that treehouse. The story is full of lively, rich images like this, so it's perfect for the comics medium. To get updates on this project, please sign up for author Jack Mikkelson's newsletter. Soon, we will share a preview of the first seven pages!

Bovodar and the Bears cover painting

This is the gouache painting which I overlaid with an ink drawing to make the cover illustration for the second edition of Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson, which is now available on Kindle for only 99 cents. And sometime soon, it will be available as a physical book for the first time, in paperback! Sign up for the newsletter to be informed when that happens, or just keep checking back here or at Mr. Mikkelson's blog.

Gouache is a relatively new medium for me, and I like it very much. I was very inspired and tried to take influence from the works of Toshio Ebine, who does amazing gouache fantasy landscapes. I showed a bit of my painting process earlier; here is the final result.

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 13, "The Terrible Parable", is posted!
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Bovodar and the Bears second edition digital!

I've been waiting to share this completed cover design for a long time. The second edition of Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson is now available in digital form! Get it now for the price of 99 cents!

This cover illustration is, in my opinion, some of the best work I've done so far, and I hope it does justice to the sweeping adventure of this story. I posted before the ink work and the painting process, and I will soon also post the painting alone without the lineart superimposed, because I love how that turned out and it's a relatively new medium for me, gouache.

Know also that a paperback version will soon be available! Physical copies are preferable for many reasons, so for the first time, Bovodar and the Bears will be available as such! We were hoping to prepare it in time for purchase for Christmas, but it looks like that may not be possible. However, if you, like me, give presents on Epiphany too, it may very well be ready in time for that!

And that's not all. I will soon be posting a seven-page preview of the Bovodar and the Bears graphic novel that is in the works! To keep updated on all these developments, please sign up for Jack Mikkelson's newsletter here.

By the way, Mr. Mikkelson has revealed that he is the same person as Laramie Hirsch, under which name he blogs about history, private revelations, legends, and current issues from a traditionalist Catholic perspective. I respect his takes immensely. In the current conflict over the scandal and heresy emerging from Rome, he is one of the few who has maintained an attitude of charity towards his fellow trads who have differing opinions on what exactly is going on.

Bovodar and the Bears is a very exciting adventure in a rich and enjoyable world. I can't encourage you enough to read it for yourself, whether as an e-book or the soon-to-be-available paperback!

Paper Doll Veronika update - first animated page

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 12, "The wizard who charmeth wisely", is complete!
The update starts here.
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It's Paper Doll Veronika's first animated page! There will be more. It turned out quite well, even though it's a bit faster than I should have made it, the speech is quivering, and the empty dress is dancing in solidarity.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Thoughts on drawing the demonic in dark times

One has to be careful about portraying the demonic visually, even if one is portraying it as evil. When I set out to draw something in response to the idolatrous worship of Pachamama at the Vatican, my first idea was an image of Pachamama as the Whore of Babylon, sitting on a draconic beast with seven heads and ten horns. I started sketching but then I thought, I could see people regarding this image as awesome and metal. It was the sort of thing I could imagine someone getting a tattoo of.

There is an appreciation for abrasive and macabre images that can be completely healthy, encompassing acknowledgement of death and the need for righteous fury. But when the demonic enters in and is exalted, the truthful-yet-unpleasant celebration of darker aspects of life is twisted into an inversion of the good, just as every evil is something good inverted and perverted.

Especially nowadays, when overt Satanism is being pushed in TV, music, fashion, and even children's books, one must be careful how one depicts the demonic. What would, in saner times, be properly regarded as a warning of how evil something is now might be taken as an embrace of its power.

Thus, I made St. Michael the focus of the picture, gloriously and ragefully smiting the demon. Pray that he does thus to all evil spirits that prowl the earth seeking the ruin of souls. And remember that tomorrow is a day of fasting and reparation for the Pachamama idolatry.

From today's Matins

How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice dwelt in it, but now murderers.
Thy silver is turned into dross: thy wine is mingled with water.
Thy princes are faithless, companions of thieves: they all love bribes, they run after rewards. They judge not for the fatherless: and the widows cometh not in to them.
Therefore saith the Lord the God of hosts, the mighty one of Israel: Ah! I will comfort myself over my adversaries: and I will be revenged of my enemies.
And I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dross, and I will take away all thy tin.
And I will restore thy judges as they were before, and thy counsellors as of old. After this thou shalt be called the city of the just, a faithful city.
Sion shall be redeemed in judgment, and they shall bring her back in justice.
And he shall destroy the wicked, and the sinners together: and they that have forsaken the Lord, shall be consumed.

- Isaiah 1:21-28

Isaiah was talking about Jerusalem, but I am inclined to think this applies to Rome today, too. While it is understandable that the corruption, abuse, and idolatry there causes people to be tempted to lose faith, it makes no sense to do so. This has been foretold, and it means that a terrible and awesome demonstration of God's power is coming. Fear not, pray and watch.

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 12, "The wizard who charmeth wisely", has begun!
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

I'm very pleased with how this pink dress's tissue paper ruffle turned out. There is a blooper in this chapter that I noticed too late and so had to keep. See if you can find it!

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

St. Brendan coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Brendan was an Irish monk who went on a voyage of exploration. Among his many adventures, he and his brothers celebrated Easter on the back of a giant fish named Jascoyne. You can read the entire account of his journey here. His commemoration is May 16.

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 11, "Maverick Feudalism" is posted!
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

This panel rather gives away what happens in the chapter, but I wanted to feature it for the poetry. I like stories that mix some verse in with the prose, like The Lord of the Rings, and there's already been some of that with the oracular pronouncements. There will be more! I like this one, and I looked at some real historical oaths of fealty to model it on.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Guardian Angel of Portugal coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

The Guardian Angel of Portugal appeared to the children at Fatima to prepare them for their coming visions of the Blessed Virgin, and aided in some medieval battles against the Moors. In the current conflict with Humanist Globalism, it is well to remember that nations have guardian angels. 

The Angel of Portugal's commemoration is June 10.

St. Boniface IV coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Boniface IV was pope at the beginning of the seventh century. He consecrated the former Pantheon into the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Doing so involved an intense exorcism, with the demons shrieking as they were driven out. You may not be able to tell in this small image (buy the book to see the full-size page) but I drew the demons in the likenesses of Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. As I've said, the stories of pagan gods can be worth preserving as fiction, but when worshiped, devils occupy their roles. Pope St. Boniface's commemoration is May 8.

St. Casilda coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Casilda was born a Muslim princess in Moor-occupied Spain. She would bring food and medicine to the Catholic prisoners and listen to their witness to Christ. Once when a guard tried to catch her at it, the items became roses. Later, she fled to a Catholic region, was baptized and became a religious. Because she was not yet baptized at the time portrayed in the illustration, I made her halo incomplete but still present because she already believed and was living virtuously. Her commemoration is April 9.

Who is like to God?

Today is the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul.

A month ago, rituals honoring the pagan goddess Pachamama took place in the Vatican gardens, the Church of St. Maria Transpontina, and the Basilica of St. Peter. This very likely caused the church and basilica to become desecrated.

The stories of pagan gods, if regarded as fiction, can sometimes be a part of heritage worth preserving. But when worshiped, pagan gods are demonic forces. Because the gods aren't real, the worship goes somewhere. Especially when said worship is in conscious opposition to the one true God, it goes to demons.

Demon worship in the Basilica of St. Peter. The sorrow and wrath that this demands is beyond comprehension. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us. God the Father Almighty, Christ the King, and the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

You are free and encouraged to repost and share this image anywhere you wish, no credit necessary, as long as:

1. You do not claim that you drew it.
2. You do not argue that the honoring of Pachamama was acceptable.

St. Nicholas of Flue coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Nicholas of Flue was a successful and devout soldier, husband, and father. One day he had a vision wherein a lily came from his mouth and arched up towards the sky, but then fell back down to earth and was eaten by a horse. This meant that his thoughts that aspired toward Heaven were being taken over by earthly concerns. Thereafter, with consent from his family, he became a hermit. His commemoration is March 21.

St. Juliana coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Juliana, also known as St. Julia, was my favorite saint when I was about eight years old. A Roman virgin martyr, she was tortured by being hung up by her hair and confounded a devil who came to her disguised as an angel to urge her to give in and honor the pagan gods to preserve her life. Her commemoration is February 16.

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 10, "A thief in the night", is complete!
The update starts here.
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

St. Hyacinthia Mariscotti coloring page preview

This is one of the coloring pages newly made especially for The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, volume 1 of which contains saints for every single day of January through June.

St. Hyacinthia Mariscotti only became a nun because the man she wanted to marry married her sister instead. As a religious, she still lived in luxury such as her noble birth made her accustomed to. That is, until a priest rebuked her, at which she threw out her costly clothes and food and lived the rest of her life in humble asceticism. Her commemoration is January 30th.

The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints

The Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, Volume 1, is now available for purchase, either directly from Sophia Institute Press or, starting tomorrow, from Amazon. This has a saint coloring page for every single day of the year, Volume 1 containing January-June. That's 181 pages!

In 2013, I made a coloring book of every observed saint's day in the Roman Calendar. In 2017, Sophia Institute Press purchased the rights to those pages and commissioned more to make this book, and they have also added biographies of the saints, written by Anna Maria Mendell.

There isn't another coloring book like this; in my experience, there aren't even that many books of saints for every single day of the new calendar, so this is pretty special. Over the next few days, I'll be posting some reduced images of some of the new pages, as a preview.

Clockwork Dancer cover art

Art by Brad Ashworth

Jon Del Arroz has shared the cover art for our collaborative steampunk comic Clockwork Dancer, drawn by Brad Ashworth. I think it looks amazing!

Issue one will be available soon!

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 10, "A thief in the night", has begun!
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Two days late Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 9, "Lend me thine ears", is complete!
The update starts here.
The chapter begins here.
The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. (Lately it has been off-schedule; hopefully we're back on track now.) I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

Who is like to God? -sketch

Sketch. I will be inking it; I had an impulse to post it while it's "still timely," but pagan idolatry at the Vatican is something that will have historical ramifications for a long time, I fear.

Pray and make reparation, and on this Eve of All Saints', know that Christ the King is triumphant!

The Hungry Kitten's Tale is now available!

Today is the release for The Hungry Kitten's Tale by Elizabeth Fust, illustrated by myself!

It's a sweet little children's book about the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, from the point of view of a stray cat.

It may be found here.

Fanart Brand Zero (or nearly)

Some fanart of major franchises which I won't be finishing.

As beloved IPs owned by mega-corporations are turned into sick mockeries of their past glories, many complain, lament, and pick apart the disasters. But some propose a better way. The primary principle is: Stop giving money to people who hate you.

It is clearly known that the huge entertainment corporations hate Christians, patriotic Americans, masculine men, those who disapprove of sexual perversion, and white people who aren't ashamed of being white. It is hard at first, but it is a relief to have done with them for good. If you're not ready to do so, I don't think that's wrong or horrible. I just encourage you. It's great to shed the hold that their ability to mutilate beloved characters has over oneself.

A corollary principle is: Attention equals money.
Rawle Nyanzi points out that any internet buzz about a movie, comic, video game, show, etc. is a sort of advertising for it, even if it's negative. So he is going full cold turkey with Brand Zero, an initiative which he describes here and here.
Brian Niemeier expands on the idea here.

I am all for it. I am not demanding that anyone do likewise, but I intend to, at least somewhat. I may still mention big brands in public internet postings, but I will try to decrease these mentions as much as I can and will not devote whole journals or blog posts to them; and as I'm primarily an artist rather than a writer, the main thing is I will not do any more fanart of any unconcluded, major corporate media franchise, and will try to restrict my fanart of concluded ones to the following:

Ace Attorney
Professor Layton
Zero Escape
Over the Garden Wall

Also, I may make exceptions for Fire Emblem--the Jugdral continuity, which is concluded though the overall series is not--and Vocaloid, which is sort of a different type of thing overall, including an independent element. Am I saying all other major media series are bad? No! But the bad ones are bad and the good ones don't need my marketing help, so there you go!

This is not simply a negative restriction, a lessening. No! This is so I may more readily do more fanart of independent creators' works, ones which could use the help of little folks like me, and among which there is much treasure to found! I have planned already some awesome pieces of Phacelia, Adventurers' Guild, Soulbound, Flying Sparks, Alt-Hero, and others! And if you have a work, a comic, a novel, please direct me to it and I'll give it a whirl!

The Hungry Kitten's Tale release date!

The Hungry Kitten's Tale by Elizabeth Fust, a Christian children's story illustrated by myself, will be available on Amazon on October 28, this coming Monday!

God bless these men

Pray for them, make reparation for the idolatry they dethroned. Pray for the Church. Viva Christo Rey.

Paper Doll Veronika update

Paper Doll Veronika has updated; Chapter 9, "Lend me thine ears", has begun!

The chapter begins here.

The story begins here.

It updates every Friday. I recommend using the "Save your place" gadget, even once you catch up, because the site starts at the beginning and updates are several pages.

Veronika Bosch, who's never left her father's estate, has to go on a journey when envious animals kick her out. Half collage, half puppetry, it's the traditional media equivalent of an elaborate sprite comic.

This Dreadful, Desolate Forest

Prints available

Bonus art for Paper Doll Veronika Chapter 5.

It's not the current chapter, but I decided I may do bonus art for chapters that are already past, because otherwise most of them won't get any! This is my favorite one so far.