The Beck Persuasion

Swuh'ter Guys

2012-01-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd doodle two of my Star Wars: The Old Republic characters.

Sorry about that.

Nintendoodles

2011-12-19T21:33:00.001-08:00

I did some Nintendy pictures today. One's kind of dirty, the other's a bit more clean. Betcha can't guess which ones I'm referring to.

Omnidimensional Creator

2011-12-18T23:38:00.000-08:00

Ziltoid's gotta chill. This is another Illustration from Devin Townsend's "Ziltoid the Omniscient" album.

Pipo Has a Fan

2011-12-12T00:25:00.000-08:00

Another Pipo illustration.

FETID.

2011-11-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

This is an illustration of the Devin Townsend song By Your Command from his album Ziltoid the Omniscient. Ziltoid already has a likeness, but I wanted to draw him as I imagine him when I listen to the album. I also didn't want this to be too fan arty.

This is my second all-digital illustration, and it might be subject to change, so stay tuned.

- Macksy

Pipo Has a Sandwich

2011-10-25T23:48:00.001-07:00

My first real digital illustration. I'm very happy with it.

A Boy and his 'Poke

2011-10-09T00:26:00.000-07:00

So I got a Wacom Intuos4 and i felt like I should get some practice in with it. It seems to be great for the kind of stuff I like to do, and I hope y'all like what I've got here. I think I should do at least once nice drawing of myself with a pokemon per year.

Crumb Bums

2011-07-05T01:55:00.000-07:00

A portrait I did of Robert Crumb for class, stippling an ass. He often gets (or got, he's rather old now) sexually excited while drawing naked women or sex scenes. He always drew them just the way he liked 'em, so I decided to study Gotta Have 'Em - Portraits of Women by R. Crumb to make sure this broad was up to snuff.

He'd probably scoff at the art, though.

Lenny Bruce and Friends

2011-07-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

I did this Lenny Bruce illustration for class. It's pretty self-explanatory if you know anything about the guy. If not, google him!

I inked this thing on three different separations, one for Bruce, one for the cops, and one for the background. After that I scanned them in and filled the lineart with color in Photoshop. I just colored the white areas in with a tablet afterward. It's a pretty fun way to work. I did it once before. Might do it again in the future.

Creepy fat men in trench coats

2011-06-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

This is an illustration I did for class a couple of weeks ago. It was the ol' fortune cookie assignment, where you have to take a fortune and illustrate it. Mine was "When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion". Here we've got a flasher being humiliated by women on the subway. I'm glad I didn't illustrate it literally.

OVER 9,000 people have seen my facebook bitch comic...

2011-05-23T22:00:00.001-07:00

...and it was because of the rest of the internet. How goddamn weird.

Anywho, I should probably direct the people who come here from Reddit to my comic tumblr, Cringeworthy. That's where I'll be posting any new comics that I do. In fact, there's already stuff up there that isn't up here, so check it out!

Thanks for the readership, folks. If you're seeing this post, that means for you, there's a name attached to that silly comic, and that's a damn good thing.

- Max

A little French bulldog who does stuff

2011-04-27T22:47:00.001-07:00

check it out! i did some illustrations of a little french bulldog doing stuff! this was for my children's book class. they aren't perfect, but i think they're reasonably cute. he likes salads and disguises, and dislikes port-o-potties. i think we'd get along.

- Max

Sketchbook Comix

2011-03-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

two little comics i drew, ink-first (hence the shakiness), in my itty bitty moleskine. the second one is only funny if you know me or erica. sorry.

- Max

Queer Frog and Fab Toad

2011-03-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, remember when I actually updated this blog? I guess I aim to change that. Now, this is nothing new, but I figured I'd post all the Queer Frog and Fab Toad comics I've done. That's something, i suppose. ENJOY.

- Max

PIG AIDS

2009-11-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

Only partially a true story. But that can change.

- Maxburg

um

2009-10-31T23:41:00.000-07:00

true story

- Maxburg

NEVAR 4GET

2009-10-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

I HAVE NO SOUL

-Maxburg

productivenss

2009-09-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's comics! Two in one day. Not bad. Actually, a couple days prior, I wrote these two down in a little "SHIT WOT NEEDS TA BE DRAWN" list. Both were finished. Yay me.

- Maxburg

S'cool

2009-09-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

Sketchbook.

- Maxburg

HOW DOOG DO YOU WANT TO BE DOOG

2009-09-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

DOOG DOOG DAG BE DOOG. DOOG.

-Maxburg

Wee Comics

2009-09-15T17:18:00.001-07:00

Lots of little comics done in my Moleskine! I guess there's no real need to explain 'em, since they're comics.

- Maxburg

Doodles

2009-09-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd separate all this Moleskine stuff into two different posts. Moving images around in the Blogger interface is a real pain in the ass, see. Not to mention it always orders them in the opposite order. Ugh. I'll just make do.

ANYWHO. The first image is a wee bit of Team Fortress 2 fanart. The second image was surprisingly easy to do, because apparently Hunter's doodling style is pure, unabashed BULLSHITTING. Image number 3 is Laura fanart. Goddamn weeaboo. Images 4 and 5 are both of the same character - the first image is her as a child, and the second is her as a young adult or teenager.

YAY FOR DOODLES.

- Maxburg

A new post?!?!?!

2009-08-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

Believe it, fellers. I only just discovered... JUST now, that I did in fact bring my camera with me to NYC. Great timing, since I leave this coming Monday. Eeeeyech. Not psyched about that, but with a bit of luck and the right decision made by the admissions people at SVA, I'll be moving back for full-time schoolin' in the Fall.

In the meantime, I've got a couple things for everyone.
These are sample pages for you that I've taken with my shitty camera that I hate. But hey! Free samples! When I get easy access to a scanner (I.E. the one at home) I'll scan the whole damned thing. The comic is basically about me and hunter fusing with animals to become horrendous beasts (pictured), and eventually fusing with one another to become a single beast (also pictured). It might be the worst comic ever. Hopefully, though, it's a funny one.

These two drawings are a little something I've been working on in my head. A possible protagonist for a steampunk sequel to Burden of Flame, set 100 years in the future. This adorable little girl is quite obviously (to friends, at least) based visually on someone I know. C'mon. Tell me that face isn't precious. D'AWWW.

Alright, that's all I got. Sorry it ain't much. But hey, it's something. Until next time,

ADIOS.

- Maxburg

The Tale of Gruppik Stonebrow

2009-05-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings, all! Prepare for oodles of text, for I have now finished writing the synopsis of my next HATCH project! I had to get it written down for Jane, so I thought I'd post it here as well for all to critique. ENJOY. And please, suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

-----------------
About Gruppik Stonebrow

Gruppik is a small, impish lizard whose genealogy is unknown. For his size, however, his endurance is far from limited. His bones are extraordinarily thick, and the top of his skull is stronger than any stone or metal his clan has ever possessed. Because of this strange physical attribute, the leader of the clan that adopted him assigned him the surname “Stonebrow”.

About the Stegosaur Clan

Since his days as a hatchling, young Gruppik has learned nary a speck of his family history. As he is a creature one third the size of his adoptive kin, his difference in his ‘family’ community is not unnoticed and unquestioned; but the cultural standards of the Stegosaur Clan promote patience and faith. In said tribe, the virtues of wisdom are considered to be above the pursuit of extensive knowledge. There are, however, members of a particular Stegosaur bloodline who take the role of healers and shamans, and they alone consort with non-hostile clans, gathering news and critical knowledge in exchange for valuable iron ore and medicinal herbs. The Stegosaurs live off the land, cultivating their food and keeping mostly to themselves. They are, however, stalwart in nature, and capable fighters when it comes to self-defense. They use heavy, defensive steel weapons along with their deadly spiked tails, as their teeth are blunt and not capable of doing any spectacular harm in combat.

Story Synopsis

Gruppik, an early adult (by dinosaur standards), is informed that his adoptive father (who is also his tribe’s chief), has fallen fatally ill with an unknown sickness. The village shamans, however, have knowledge of an incredibly rare flower that blooms only in the harshest environments, drawing power from its unforgiving environment. Experts of medicinal lore, the shamans believe the flower to be capable of healing the deadliest maladies. Gruppik, being light on his feet and skilled with a spear, is charged with the deadly task of climbing the highest peak of a snow-capped mountain in order to seek out this flower. His concern for his ‘father’ being a key motive, he willingly accepts the task and sets out on his journey.

Following the great river that bridges many friendly tribes, Gruppik comes to a dense jungle that separates him from his destination. Knowing that time is a key variable in his quest, he decides to go straight through it. Using the flow of the river’s water as a makeshift compass, he presses on. The thick vegetation and numerous tree roots are not the only obstacles he faces, however. A gang of bloodthirsty raptors ambush him, but they are savage in nature and value brute force over the art of battle. A heap of now-still bodies left in his wake, he presses onward and leaves the forest, arriving at the base of the mountain.

The mountain is like nothing he has experienced before, but Gruppik’s fierce sense of determination, combined with his all-important sense of patience, guide him as he climbs higher and higher. As he nears the peak, he is attacked by a small swarm of flying lizards. Like the jungle’s hostiles, they seem to lack the mental capacity of the Stegosaurs, and know only violence. Gruppik is at a disadvantage, though. He is not on stable ground, and must adjust his fighting style accordingly. His muscles stiff from the increasingly cold air, and his joints weary from what seem like ages of climbing, he manages to fight them off, but he is badly wounded. An image of his bedridden father still fresh in his mind, he gathers his courage and presses on, finally reaching the peak.

He is greeted by a majestic heap of strange-looking vegetation, and as he stoops to gather the black blooms from the bush’s thorny vines, something else greets him. A humongous winged lizard, resembling those he had just managed to kill off, stands before him. Apparently blind because of its incredible age, the beast smells him, and states that he has not smelled blood like Gruppik’s for a very long time. This mystery is quickly cast aside though, because this beast is not a foolish one, and knows that Gruppik has killed its children. When the beast lunges at Gruppik for an attack with his outrageously sharp beak, Gruppik has no choice but to brace himself, for he is wounded and his weapons had been lost in the fight with the beast’s children. Miraculously, the beast’s attack does nothing but cut the skin of Gruppik’s forehead, and the beast shrinks backward.

“Then it is certain. You are indeed one of the lost race,” hisses the beast. “I have seen many ages. My sight has failed me in my old age, but my other senses remain true, as does my memory of the past.

Knowledge seems to fail me this day… for it has been well-known amongst the old ones that your kind has long since left our world. Your presence here leaves me confused… and it takes quite a bit to confuse one who has seen and felt the sun rise and fall so many times. I will spare your life, but only for the sake of pity… pity for the ones who were betrayed by the very land itself. Leave now. I may be old, but I am still quick to change my mind.”

A good supply of flowers stashed in his bag, Gruppik quickly does as the beast says, and begins his long journey home. His heart is light, but his mind is burdened by the beast’s words.

Weeks pass. The shamans prepare a drinkable essence from the flowers that Gruppik brought back, and all the while Gruppik discusses the beast’s cryptic words with them. They remain, however, silent in the matter. After some time, though, with the help of Gruppik’s treasure, the chieftain’s health improves. His selfless deeds finally acknowledged, Gruppik’s standing with the rest of the clan takes a positive turn, and our story ends with a reward from the village shamans. They reveal that the beast’s words confirm the fact that Gruppik is a survivor of a tribe of lizards that were once indeed betrayed by their very land when their watery climate froze over in a matter of days. Having been washed ashore in a block of ice himself, the notion that others of his kind might be revived enters his mind, and Gruppik realizes that this was not the last time that he would be traveling away from his childhood home.

-------------

Until next time.

- Maxburg

Samusaurusai?

2009-04-17T08:24:00.001-07:00

Soooo after playing (most of) Chrono Trigger, I became totally obsessed with Frog. Being obsessed with Frog, I now am obsessed with small, scaly/bumpy lizard/amphibian warriors. Knowing that designing a samurai frog would be a bit of a copout, I went with lizardmen! More specifically, dinosaurs. I don't know WHAT the fuck this guy is. I'm just gonna make up his species. But he does live amongst stegosaurs, and he is the last of his kind (how dramatic). His story will probably revolve around hunting down his kind's eggs, which are most likely frozen somewhere, since he washed to shore in a hunk of ice.

Aaaanyway, the first drawing is much more successful than the second, because he looks as squat and cute as I wanted him to. In the second drawing he's a bit taller than he should be, and loses some of the charm. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

-Maxburg

Sweet Nothings

2009-03-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

Hunter might remember this old gag.

-Maxburg

Life Drawing

2009-03-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

A life drawing. Brush an' India ink. Watercolor paper. An hour long session.
I did another one in 30 minutes, but it's really not that good in comparison, and isn't worth scanning. HURM.

-Maxburg

Priests, Personae, and More Self-hatred

2009-02-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings folks. Got another suuuuper fun art dump for ya. Above is a Warhammer Fantasy warrior priest. They have thick neck armor. That's the joke.
This is a Persona 3-themed self-portrait. Faber-Castell fat brush markers, my brush pen, and white-out.
And last but not least, a comic about self-loathing! Yaaaay! I'm turning this one into a painting. Really!

- Maxburg

In which I attempt to draw like Hunter

2009-02-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

And fail miserably, but make something interesting nonetheless. Big-ass Faber Castell brush pens.

-Maxburg

The Truth, Uncovered

2009-01-30T16:48:00.000-08:00

...Ew.

- Maxburg

Ildren the Unfortunate

2009-01-28T22:17:00.000-08:00

Theeere we go. Some stuff for you people. That's Ildren strapped to a pole, unmasked, unfortunate, and un...

Uh.

Then there's this little self portrait doodle I did. Don't say I haven't been productive!

- Maxburg

She's cute.

2009-01-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

Here it is, my first installment of The Otherworldly Adventures of Shotgun Zoe!

Enjoy.

- Maxburg

Doctors and Mice

2009-01-16T00:33:00.001-08:00

But no mouse doctors. Or doctors who are mice. Above is The Doctor! Specifically the 9th doctor, Christopher Eccleston, from Doctor Who! I'll never type doctor again.

I'm thinking of doing a project about mice in outer space. This is how i came up with the little earring-sporting badass at the bottom of the second image. I also kind of love Mouse Hitler.

- Maxburg

Two Pages of Pen-and-ink Purgatory

2008-12-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

Aaaalright guys, here's the next two pages I've done. Progress! Tell me what you think. And don't hold back.

- Maxburg

Not Just for Breakfast!

2008-12-08T22:01:00.001-08:00

Sorry, don't have the time fer color.

-Maxburg

Coffee Shop Adventures

2008-12-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

True story.

-Maxburg out.

That Voice

2008-11-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

The lesson learned from this venture into the world of markers: don't use them if you ever plan on using a scanner at my house. This was in color originally, and looked even worse than it does now. Seriously.

Oh, and I guess I'm sorry if the naughty words offend you. They're directed toward me, so they really shouldn't.

- Maxburg out.

Four pages of heaven.

2008-11-17T21:48:00.000-08:00

Or hell. You decide. No, really. Decide. I need some input. These are obviously photos and not scans. I don't have access to a big enough scanner at the moment, and I figure I should show them to somebody other than my mom, so here we are.

The lettering isn't gonna be handwritten when it's actually scanned. This is just so I know what the hell they're talking about.

READ UP.

-Maxburg out.

Mein Lack of Commitment

2008-11-17T20:57:00.001-08:00

I don't feel like coloring this. ;D

-Maxburg out.

Concept art, a birthday present, and some GARBAGE.

2008-11-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

Behold dear viewers. My latest festering, steaming artdump. From top to bottom: A birthday present for FAGG- i mean, Hunter, concept art of my wizard's mother, Frog from Chrono Trigger, and a drawing of Laura K scavenged from a sea of doodles. Enjoy.

Until my next urge to update,

-Maxburg out.

New Concept Art, and New Concepts

2008-10-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'm going to spare you the explanation on these two new images. Basically, if you've read my last post (wishful thinking), you'll know who these characters are and what they're up to.

What I want to do here is share some of my specifics as far as the story goes. So... here goes.

Basically, this is a story of witch hunting. A story of a man who finds himself an outsider in a world of the mundane. Wizards exist. They do not, however, sit next to kings and advise them as they might in many stories of high fantasy. In this world, they are heretics, at least to the ignorant. Unfortunately, the ignorant populate most of the world.

The wizard in this story was born and raised in an elven village. Peace-loving and forgiving, the elven monks can be discriminatory, but never cruel. When the true nature of the wizard is revealed, he is banished from their settlement, and out of love, his family goes with him. They move to a human village rich with peasantry and honest work. For years, things go smoothly without any incedents. Then, something happens that triggers his fire. Probably something really insignificant, like being snuck up upon and scared by a local boy, causing him to jump and shoot flame from his mouth. Or something.

This will either result in the potential stoning of his family, or the potential burning of his family. There will be fire either way, because he's going to fall victim to his own primal power and torch the fucking place into oblivion.

He'll be burnt up, confused, and there'll be one of those typical aftermath "OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE" scenes. He'll wander into the forest, and eventually meet a woodsman who will kindly treat his wounds and take the boy under his wing, and probably help him learn to control his power.

---

What's probably going to happen after the flashback is a scene in which Itch gets saved from death by some sort of forest beast. The wizard will torch said beast, and some douche will be there to see it, and most likely run and scream to the locals, resulting in what will lead to the wizard being burned at the stake. Fun!

Tell me what you think if you actually read this. Really, any input would be appreciated, as I'm trying to have the story down BEFORE i start drawing this time around.

Until next time,

- Maxburg out.

OH MY GOD.

2008-10-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

So I'm absolutely certain that ink brushes with cartridges are the best thing since sliceable cookie dough. We'll get to that in a bit, though. First, here's some more character design for the wizard in my tentative HATCH 2 comic.

As you can see, I still love the long arms and peg leg. The long arms do now have an explanation. He is an elf. Since it's fantasy and I can do whatever I want with my own little universe, I've went ahead and did a little sketch of what more fortunate members of his race look like (meaning, not burnt the fuck up).

I think they might be a race comparable to Buddhist monks, living peacefully in self-contained villages in forests. Wow, going out on a limb there. Elves that live in seclusion. Oh Max, you're so original. I do mean they might be monk-ish. Since they have a pretty long reach, martial arts are probably the best bet for their on-foot defenses. I probably won't need to get into this stuff too much, but since a flashback involving the wizard's past might be in order, I felt that not-so-crispy elves needed a design.

I also did a sketch of what could end up being Itch's tavern-ownin' foster pop.

As I've conveniently noted within the image, I did fuck up his face. This was my first experiment in using an ink brush on pre-drawn pencil lines. From that experience, I learned not to trust myself with a brush when dealing with intricacies like faces. It's okay, we all have to learn somehow. He has a look that I strongly associate with dwarves, even though he is quite large and definitely not a dwarf. I really like the rough, pierced look of the Warhammer Fantasy dragon slayer Dwarfs, and I couldn't help but rip that off a tiny bit when I drew him. I'm not 100% certain that I'm happy with the design. That's probably gonna change a bit before he's finished. Who knows.

Now for the bestest bit of the bunch.

These brush pens are so great. Seriously, I highly recommend going and picking one up if you're going to even entertain the idea of inking with a brush. They're easy to use, self-contained, not too messy, and not too pricey. They're also just so fun. I'm almost positive that I'm going to use a brush to ink most of my comic. I feel like I've been missing out. Obviously, this is Itch and the wizard having a stroll. Bonus speech bubble for charm.

The story is still being fleshed out little by little in my head. If I get any sudden bursts of inspiration, I'll probably post it here, and nobody will read it.

I probably won't cry, though.

- Maxburg out.

I fIgHT foR My FrIEndS

2008-10-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

Post-hurricane Ike comic, actually done during the power outage. The last panel was a pretty clear prediction of what happened in the end, regardless of it being drawn before it actually happened.

I really didn't feel like coloring it, and I feel like I should just post the fuckin' thing already. So here it is. ENJOY!

- Maxburg out.

New ideas and udda fings

2008-09-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

I've got to do something for the next volume of HATCH. During class today I got the idea to do something with a medieval fantasy setting. So I started drawing THIS fella.

So basically he's a wizard. I'm thinking a pyromancer, a bringer of flame. This story will take place in a gritty fantasy world in which magic is uncontrollable, unbridled, and absolutely forbidden. People who are born with the burdensome gift of magic are few and far between, probably because they're euthanized at a young age. Obviously this one survived. This guy is burnt from head to toe. He wraps himself up in bandages, robes, and whatever else he can to disguise his marred flesh. Also, he might be missing a leg. Don't know if that'll work so well. If this guy gets into any real heavy firestarting, a wooden leg might just get in the way. Then again, it'd be funny if he burnt his fake leg away. You can see how long his arms are. I think it looks pretty cool. Obviously anatomy gets in the way of that. One explanation could be that he's an elf or half-elf. Great thing about fantasy is that you can design fictional races to look however you want. This is just one character though. After I drew this guy, I figured I'd make some sort of peasant boy his friend.
This is Itch. He's a little errand boy who works in a tavern for the owner, who also happens to be his foster dad. He called him Itch 'cause he was left on the bar counter by some anonymous woman who couldn't take care of him. Ever since, he's been nothing but an itch on the back of the tavern owner that couldn't be scratched. At some point in time, the pyromancer wanders into the tavern and crosses paths with Itch. Itch learns about his horrible past, which I think will involve an entire village being inadvertently burned to the ground. Most importantly, Itch will learn that people who harness the burden of destruction are people too.

This is all tentative, of course. I would, however, appreciate any feedback or ideas. I feel like it cold go somewhere.

So I thought as long as I was scanning this stuff, I'd throw some other miscellaneous wotnots into the mix as well.

I fucking love American Psycho. Patrick Bateman is one of the funniest characters i've ever seen.

At Danielle's request, I drew her. The drawing sucked, so I told her I'd do a good one at some point. This is that good one. Too bad it's unflattering as hell.

I've been playing Warhammer Online. It's fantastic. Beats the shit out of WoW in the respect that you don't have to power level to the endgame to have fun with other players. These are a couple of doodles I did of a Zealot (top) and a Marauder (bottom).

I've got another autobio comic on the way, this time about the recent hurricane. I just need to color it and then I'll post it. In a hasty fashion. Post-haste.

- Maxburg out.

Three out of four is something, right?

2008-09-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

I guess it takes a hurricane to pay some attention to my artblog for once. I've been giving my Deviantart page a significantly larger amount of attention, which is totally ironic since I'd previously sworn my allegiance to this blog in posts past. Without further ado, enjoy four things I've come up with in the recent past. Three of which funny (meant to be, at least), and one not so funny (not meant to be, at least).

And now, as I said a second ago... here's the depressing contribution. It's kind of a test more than anything - a test to see if I can write and draw about my anxiety in a semi-serious way without wanting to blow my own head off afterward.

Alright, it's time for me to leave this coffee house and return home, with high hopes that our fucking power will be back on. Which it won't.

Until that happens...

- Maxburg out.

Putting the 'Pain' in 'Paintchat'

2008-07-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

I'd say it's a collaborative effort if penises are drawn at some point during the process. Niko's paint chat with Hunter. Hey'ohhh.

- Maxburg out.

My first attempt...

2008-07-22T17:53:00.001-07:00

...at digital painting - outside of whatever awful doodles I've done in Facebook Graffiti. I used Photoshop for this, which seems to be the best thing for me to learn with at the moment.

- Maxburg out.

WHERE IN THE NAME OF CROM...

2008-07-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

...IS MY TABLET PEN?

-Maxburg out.

A third attempt.

2008-07-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

It's much more polished this time - perhaps as polished as I want to make it. This is actually the second attempt at drawing this comic. Check out my first attempt.

It's probably funnier than the actual comic. I laugh every time I see it.

- Maxburg out.

Mark II

2008-07-09T20:19:00.001-07:00

Round two. Tell me what you think of my new direction, folks.

- Maxburg out.

UGH.

2008-07-08T22:50:00.001-07:00

KRIS MADE ME DO IT.

- Maxburg out.

Why, you ask?

2008-07-01T02:01:00.001-07:00

Because. That's why. Also:

So um... yeah.

- Maxburg out.

Page Four (or Five) - Now With More Tree!

2008-06-23T16:15:00.001-07:00

Here's what I've got of the fourth actual page right now. On the site, it's gonna be the fifth, as the first page will be the splash/title page. As you can see in the third panel, that tree needs some attention that I forgot to give it. Either than that, it's pretty much done. I also need to go back and rework the text in the other three pages. Enjoy, and check out Kris n' Kat's contributions here.

UPDATE: Fixed the tree. I love my tablet so fucking much. I highly recommend the Wacom Bamboo to anyone who wants to learn to use a tablet and is on a budget that doesn't allow a $300+ purchase. It has half the sensitivity of the cheapest Intuos, but it has my love. Now buy one.

- Maxburg out.

THREE.

2008-06-08T00:04:00.001-07:00

At this point, it doesn't need much of an explanation. When Kris and Kat get back from their comic convention, I'll be able to get them to slap this stuff onto the VEIN site.

- Maxburg out.

The Second Dystopia Page

2008-06-07T04:14:00.000-07:00

Well guys, it's 6:15, my Tylenol PM kicked in an hour ago, and I'm ready to pass out. As you can see, though, I took the time to scan and complete the second page of my contribution to VEIN. Hope you enjoy it.

Maxburg out.

OMG KRIS?!?!?!

2008-06-05T09:37:00.001-07:00

Some random "fanart" I did of Kris on the plane from PA to Houston. I know, I don't have anything particularly exciting to upload just yet... unless you find Kris as fascinating as I do.

- Maxburg out.

The First Dystopia Page

2008-05-21T19:50:00.001-07:00

Because there's nowhere else for you people to see this yet.

- Maxburg out.

ZOMG NEW CONTENT

2008-05-11T18:59:00.001-07:00

So hey kids, how about that dystopia? This is the first in a long line of sketches i did of this particular character. Back before Kris told me what the project was gonna exactly consist of, my idea was to have this mechanic/family man character going. I was pretty enthusiastic about his design, as you can see in the following page.

And then, mean ol' Kris shot that idea down. I did, however, have a new thing to work from. I had to make a scientist character, a character with an appearance that suits the 1980s in America.
In the meantime, I designed this scary Russian guy. He might end up being someone's shady boss? I have no clue.
After doodling a WoW character I had recently made (Laurica), and after drawing Niko Bellic from GTA IV, I began doodling potential scientist faces. As you can see, by the end of this page, I came to the conclusion that I could simply slap glasses onto the steampunk mechanic, and viola. He's my 80's scientist.

Since there's some sort of virus involved in the story, I attempted to draw mutated lab rats. Don't pay no mind to them.

Alright, there's the stuff I said I needed to scan. When there's more, I'm sure it'll eventually find its way here. Until then,

- Maxburg out.

Strength in Pixels

2008-05-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a higher-res version of this week's episode of Scurry, sans text. Yes, I'm posting this because I'm too lazy to go scan pages in my sketchbook that contain character design for the dystopia project. Yes, I am ashamed of that fact.

- Maxburg out.

A Loser and a Winner

2008-04-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

So, remember when I said I'd post the wee bit of character design I did for that scrapped future Max project? Of course you don't. But here it is anyway.

And of course, here's the final character design for the so far unnamed rat protagonist (and his cricket friend, Francis).

That's all I got for now, but I've scanned the first two episodes of Scurry, and I'll be editing and text-ifying them shortly. So please, please check it out when I post it. I'd be ever so happy if you did.

- Maxburg out.

Scurry!

2008-04-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

My new comic blog is up. Check it out here.

As you can see, page one isn't even done yet. It's too detailed of a page for my liking, and I've decided that after this one, the comic will assume a horizontal orientation. So I dunno, stick the comic blog on your RSS feeds and you'll know when it's updated (which should be very soon).

- Maxburg out.

Coffee Shop Quickies

2008-04-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I did some sketches for that mouse (now rat) comic. I fail at drawing mice, and I think rats are more interesting anyway, so there you go. Here's the first real concept sketch for the main character. I doubt he'll ever look this polished in the actual comic.

Allow me to clarify this once again - he is most certainly not a mouse, even though the sketch would tell you otherwise. These next three pages are where the fun began. I started looking at photos of rats to bone up on my ability to draw them fast, because that first pencil sketch took fucking forever. The amount of time it took to draw his face was offensive. Just offensive. After the page of rat sketches, i started doodling the rat's first encounter with his new cricket/grasshopper friend. I don't know if grasshoppers even live in the woods. Whatever. I guess he's a cricket. Enjoy. Enjoy, and don't ask about the Snap-jawed Battlehare. Just enjoy him too.

From these drawings you all should have realized the fact that I draw heads huge, and I do this all the time. Aside from not fitting an entire figure on one page, it is my biggest weakness. Ugh.

- Maxburg out.

Maybe not.

2008-04-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided to drop the idea of the depressing future Max story. I started doing some character design for it, and I got discouraged. Why? Because drawing the main character just made me depressed. Not a good sign, especially since the whole idea of that comic was to deal with my hopefully avoided future by poking fun at it in the form of sequential art. I will scan and post the smidgen of concept art that I did do for it, though, because it is kind of amusing, and it's a charming little doodle at that.

Here's a new idea. A story about an agoraphobic mouse who lives alone in the abandoned house he was raised in. His parents and family are dead, and he is still on the young side. Either he was told as a child that the outdoors were bad, or maybe the parents ate rat poison and died. Or something. Either way, he's afraid of the unknown, and when the abandoned house gets condemned and demolished, he's forced to flee into a nearby wood, where his adventure into cruel reality begins.

Also, I'd like to join Kris, Kat, and Hunter in their dystopia project. I'm thinking I'd do something that involves an obsolete robot outcast who is trying to get by.

That's all I've got for now.

- Maxburg out.

A Cruel Fate

2008-04-10T16:47:00.000-07:00

I go to the coffee shop to try and work on that new comic, and I realize I left all my supplies at home. Ugh.

- Maxburg out (right after I came in).

I'm such a tease.

2008-04-08T17:04:00.000-07:00

Because I don't have a viable place to put this comic for online viewing purposes, I'll tease everyone with the first page. Lame, I know. I'm also just too lazy to convert them all to JPEGs right now anyway.

-Maxburg out. Again.

Ideas.

2008-04-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

I've got an idea for a new comic. It'd be less story-oriented, and each page might even be drawn in a way that makes it its own short story. Of course, it would be about the same character every time.

The basic idea would be a comic about my possible, yet hopefully avoided future. It would be about a version of Max with a different name and a different appearance - one that is far more pathetic than any future Max you could imagine. It'd be a 30 or so year old version of me who is still living at home, is still unemployed, and is still taking just a few classes at a time, wishing that his dream of becoming a famous artist would just fall in his lap.

This future Max would never speak in the comic, just to enhance his timid lack of personality. This idea is basically a personal, gallows-humor look into what I never want to become. It'll be filled with fantasies, wishes, and, most of all, hilariously painful reality.

The best thing about this is the fact that I could work on it as slowly as I want... I'd release each page episodically.

Or maybe I won't release anything. We shall see.

- Maxburg out.

GENTLEMEN... BEHOLD!

2008-03-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

I BRING YOU... THE FIRST SEVEN PAGES OF MY COMIC! BWAHAHAHAHAHAH! AAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's presented here unaltered and fresh from the scanner. I'm still going to add text and whatnot, and I'm also going to touch things up that need it.

So there you go. There are two more that have been inked (not shaded) and another two that I've just finished penciling in. So I'm getting there. Seriously. ...No, really.

- Maxburg out.

Nerds on a Plane

2008-03-17T02:35:00.000-07:00

My flight was delayed for about 30 minutes while we were taxiing to the runway, and I got the urge to draw a picture of Laura K.

Oh, the false innocence portrayed in this stylized portrait is hilarious. After I was done with this, I had just about enough of drawing those mothafuckin' nerds on that mothafuckin' plane.

Maybe I'll post something that I spent more than an hour on soon. Maybe.

Maxburg out.

Rise, Forsaken Warrior.

2008-02-25T19:38:00.000-08:00

I'm obviously hung up on the Undead. What can I say, they're fun as hell to draw. Rotting, cold, and confused, a long-dead warrior awakes in his tomb, his most recent memory being an orc's heavy axe tearing through his flesh. His new life begins - a life in service of the Dark Lady.

I'm such a fucking nerd.

Until next time,

Maxburg out.

Sketchbook Stuff, Old and New

2008-02-09T00:45:00.001-08:00

Aaalright, time for some postage. These are various things that I picked out of my sketchbooks. The three first ones are from today and a few weeks ago.

For some reason I thought I'd draw Quizzical, a character that I play WoW with. He has a habit of putting his penis in my ear... in a virtual manner, of course.

This is Groh, my Orc warrior. I drew him a while back, so this armor's pretty dated, but that isn't important.

Groh again, running from... something. Groh often ends up dead, as the man behind the wheel doesn't steer him in the right directions half the time. His fate can be sealed in rather untimely and gruesome (if not humiliating) ways.

Alright, this is an old one. Marcus Fenix from Gears of War.
Hunter as a gorilla. We had finished watching Mulholland Drive in English class one day, and whilst eating pizza and drinking smoothies I devised this drawing of an enraged gorilla-Hunter, to which he created his own dialog.
An elder alien. Character design.

This is an awesome explosion that I drew in a sketchbook, but I couldn't replicate the feel of it in pen in the comic that it was drawn for. Shame. Also, Crysis erotica in the lower left-hand corner.

Concept art for my comic-in-progress. I'm proud of this one.

Alright, that's all I've got for now. If I do any ACTUAL art sometime soon, I promise I'll post it. Until then...

Maxburg out.

I have not died.

2008-02-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

No, seriously, I'm absolutely in the realm of the living. Not dead, not undead, but perhaps not totally alive. Before I even begin with poetics, I'll go ahead and post some little doodles I've done in my Psychology class... not my Illustration class... not my Art History class... nooo. My community college Psych class. :[

An emblem of sorts. I'm actually really proud of this, because it's slightly sleek, downright chic, and it illustrates my timidity and lack of self-confidence perfectly. Oh wait... that's nothing to be proud of. Fuck-a-doodle-doo.

World of Warcraft is one of the two games I'm playing right now, the reason for that being if you're playing WoW, there's not much time for other games. Don't worry, I haven't lost any friends to the world of Azeroth, I'm just using a fictitious realm to satisfy my unquenched thirst for social interaction whilst I try and get a job where I can meet REAL friends. Oh yeah, this is an undead fella, playing a hastily added keyboard with no keys. This drawing = me losing interest and being lazy.

Alright, I don't have anything else to post here at the moment... nothing else scanned, at least. I'll do my best to keep this artblog running, as the frequent posts on Hunter's artblog are pretty damn frequent. And yes, this IS a competition.

Maxburg out.

"I do caricatures"

2007-11-05T21:25:00.000-08:00

No, actually, I don't. That's bullshit. I do, however, doodle quite a lot, and every now and then I'll create striking doodly-portraits of people I know. I'm technically proficient at drawing myself and Hunter, and every now and then I'll meet someone who's just incredibly easy to draw. Here's some examples of the doodles I'm talking about.

Self-portraiture is my biggest weakness... especially when it comes to mindless doodling.

That first one is of Laura, if you didn't already guess. If you don't know who she is... too bad. The other two are of Hunter. You probably already know this.

Oh, if only I had the patience to upload each and every stupid doodle i do in my sketchbooks that vaguely resemble actual people. It'd be ever so amusing.

I'll get back to you guys when I think of something worthwhile to post.

Maxburg out.

DeviantArt Sucks.

2007-11-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone.

After much deliberation (and before my excellent feast of 12 steak and cheese taquitos), I've decided that DeviantArt, as faithful as I've been to it for all these years, completely stinks. The only things that people really favorite these days are my Ender's Game illustrations. Of course,it's nice to know that something gets views every once in a while, but it's about time I took favorites and pageviews out of the equation and made an art blog like the rest of my stupid friends.

Here's a little something that I did for my Illustration I class.

I'm actually kind of proud of this one. Our assignment was to illustrate our greatest fear or worst habit. I didn't want to get too personal, so I went with my general fear of making bad first impressions and bombing horribly when I joke around with people. Here I am in a freshly emptied comedy club, soaking in the putrid juices of my sense of humor.

After hours and hours of work on this sonnofabitch last night, my Illustration teacher got a lovely case of food poisoning and didn't show up. As much as I enjoyed getting an extra three hours of sleep this morning, I wish Professor Albright didn't have to spend all morning in the bathroom. I was looking forward to the critique.

Alright, that's all for the moment. I'll probably get all retro soon and post stuff from ye olden days... and by that I mean from a few weeks back. Until then, I can only leave my hundreds of readers salivating for more.

Maxburg out.