A Pair of Pet Portraits

Ms. Penny | Private Commission 

Graphite portrait  8x10

Maile | Private Commission 

Also in graphite.

Trick or Trump?

Universal Monster | Holiday Card (unfolded, front and back showing)

Trump Cards | Holiday Card 

Multipurpose cards for the morons in your life.

Universal Monster | Vid Test (thanks for making the flames dance, Adrian;)

Mr. Monster

Mr. Monster | Comic Syrup Press

The original adventures of Mr. Monster, Fred Kelly's occult vigilante, are returning to print thanks to Comic Syrup Press! To learn more about this strange and exciting hero from Canada's Golden Age of comics, his creator Fred Kelly, and the talent behind the reprint campaign check out the official Kickstarter and Facebook pages. My suitably creepy illustration will be available as a print to backers of the project.

The Tree Hunt

Tree Hunt | Holiday Card (unfolded, front and back showing)

This is the front and back of a new Christmas card depicting Santa with an axe and Jesus with a bow saw accompanying a group of elves and woodland creatures on a search to find this year's special tree. Among my favourite details in this piece is the pine cone hanging from Santa's hat and the thoughtful lamb carrying mittens. This is the fourth instalment in my Santa Clause Parade series.

Tree Hunt | Holiday Card | Detail (front and back, stacked) 

Tree Hunt |  Personal Work 

Tree Hunt | Cards

Each folded card measures about 4.5x6.25"(31cm x 11cm unfolded)

Cards are available. Email me at, ap@alexanderperkins.com or alexandervictor@gmail.com 

Subject: Tree Hunt Cards

5 cards for $20+shipping. Blue envelopes are included.

The broken white line does not appear on the printed cards. Just here as a guide to show where the card is folded. 

Brok Windsor!

Brok Windsor | Bedside Press

My tribute to the once lost Canadian comic book hero, Brok Windsor!  Thanks to Bedside Press the wild sci-fi adventures in the Land Beyond the Mists by Jon Stables will be reprinted for the first time in almost 70 years! Learn more about Brok, Jon Stables and the reprint project on Kickstarter and Facebook!

Johnny Canuck!

Johnny Canuck | Comic Syrup Press

In celebration of the forthcoming reprinted adventures of Johnny Canuck, Canada's first national comic book hero, this image will be available as a print from Comic Syrup Press!  To learn more about Johnny, his creator Leo Bachle, and the talent behind the reprint campaign check out the official Kickstarter and Facebook pages.

Johnny Canuck 

Hang Your Stockings

 Say Your Prayers | Holiday Card (unfolded, front and back showing)

Like one, that on a lonesome road

Doth walk in fear and dread,

And having once turned round walks on,

And turns no more his head;

Because he knows, a frightful fiend

Doth close behind him tread.

-"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" A stanza from Part VI. 

With this festive image I've tried to capture some of the magic and wonder of the holidays and a little bit of the scary. I'm thinking of calling it, "Hang Your Stockings, Say Your Prayers" or "Said the Night Wind to the Little Lamb". The illustration was designed to be a card where the full image is revealed when it's unfolded. Santa and the kids on the front, big ugly Krampus on the back.

Each folded card measures about 4.5x6.25"(31cm x 11cm unfolded)

To purchase this card, please email me at, ap@alexanderperkins.com or alexandervictor@gmail.com 

Subject: Say Your Prayers

5 cards for $20+shipping. Mauve envelopes are included!

The broken white line does not appear on the printed cards. Just here as a guide to show where the card is folded. 

Hang Your Stockings and Say Your Prayers | Holiday Card | Detail (front and back, stacked) 

Say Your Prayers |  Personal Work 

Say Your Prayers | Cards

Once more into the breech...

Kill Shakespeare Board Game | IDW

I was pleased to find out a couple of weeks ago that the cover art I created for Kill Shakespeare #11 will soon be given a new life as the cover art to the upcoming board game!

To see a little more of the thought and process behind the image check out my earlier post linked here, Kill Shakespeare Cover Art.

Nelvana of the Northern Lights

Nelvana | Personal Work

Created by artist Adrian Dingle in 1941, Canada's own Nelvana of the Northern Lights was among the very first female superheroes, even predating Wonder Woman. I made this piece to celebrate the launch of a local campaign to reprint the original comics which have been out of circulation for more than 60 years. Prints of this peice as well as contributions from many other artists will be available as incentives to backers. To learn more about Nelvana and to support the campaign please visit the Kickstarter page linked here. 

What appeals to me the most about the mysterious goddess of the North is her mystical quality and fashion sense, that she rides atop her shapeshifting brother Tanero is pretty cool too.  Flying through the sky as a great dane or later, a polar bear.

Originally intended as an 11"x17" ink drawing, part way through I started experimenting with washes and cut paper.  When things started to get a little messy I moved on to the computer to pull it all together digitally. 

Nelvana | Prints

Monster Attack!

Alien Brainbot 1 & 2 (stacked)

A year ago I was commissioned by my friend Derek Muscat at Theocy Design to illustrate a pair of "Big Monster Attacks" for decks he was preparing for Drake Snowboards. One image would showcase the "creature" and the other a montage of comic style panels depicting the devastation. I drew up a multitude of sketches for each concept and would have been happy to finalize any one of them. The final artwork was done in ink on heavy paper and coloured digitally. After the job was submitted I took some time to revisit both images, altering the layout, expanding the palette and textures, and adding all the lettering.

Below are my three favourite sketches from the concepts submitted as well as a couple of photos I took along the way.

Sketches | Process | Product

The Thing

The Thing | Commission

The Thing is an 11"x17" ink drawing, coloured digitally.  The piece was done for Joe Kilmartin, a knowledgeable comics and pulp culture enthusiast of The Comic Book Lounge and once upon a time, Dragonlady Comics in Toronto.  I have enjoyed frequenting Joe's College Street shops for many years.

The Thing | Sketch | Inks  | Digital Colour

One of my favourite Marvel characters, The Thing, has always been a popular choice when sketching at conventions or warming up at home.

I'd done a rough of Mr. Grimm twisting up a lamp post, an element that may still end up in this image as an overlay.  The copy(text) in the top image was all lifted from different sources (a couple of Kirby Pin-ups mostly) and modified.

Yo Joe!

DJ Cobra Commander | Commission | Pencil on heavy paper

With another G.I. Joe movie set to debut next week I thought it might be appropriate to share this old drawing.  I was lucky to get a snap of the sketch I'd done for a friend back in 2007.

My Grandfather

Donald Douglas McKay | Personal Piece | graphite on heavy paper

I did this drawing of my grandfather from a tiny 3.25"x1.5" photograph that was taken in 1942 while he served in the Royal Canadian Navy. I had to ring him up a few times while working on this to ask about details I couldn't make out, and he was a big help.  Because the picture was so small and not without blemishes, this photo-reproduction proved to be more challenging than the last.  If we come across any more good photographs I'd love to take another crack at it.

Donald Douglas McKay |  Reference used

He's the handsome fella in the middle;) 

Grandma

Thelma Mary McKay | Personal Piece | graphite on heavy paper

My grandmother was one of my best friends. Visits were more than frequent and we could always make each other laugh. She passed away just a couple weeks ago, one month shy of her 90th birthday. I created this piece for my grandfather in pencil on paper from a small 2.5"x3.5" photograph.
I don't often go in for straight-up photo reproduction, but drawing this last night was so much fun.

Scorched: 2013 Subaru BRZ

Scorched | Storyboard Art (abbreviated)

Here are some fragments of frames to a storyboard I created for a very stylish video directed by Common Good (for DDB) to introduce the new Subaru BRZ.

Scorched | Common Good | Subaru Canada

My thanks to Jamie, Eric and Dwight for inviting me to the table on this one. The guys were a pleasure to work with and the spot looks great!

To see more work by the awesome gang at Common Good check out CommonGood.tv.

Cineplex: Escape From This World

Escape From This World (Round 1, colour storyboard art) | Spy Films | Cineplex

About a year ago I was engaged to produce a series of colour frames to support a concept being developed by Director Arev Manoukian and Producer Markus Trulli at Spy Films. Their idea was to create a parallel between the evolution of flight and the technological advances in film and cinema over the last century. A spot which would ultimately serve as the new Cineplex opening and play before every movie nation-wide.

Escape From This World | Storyboard Art Round 2 (Fragments, abbreviated)

We expanded on the initial boards with dozens of black and white drawings, exploring camera moves and designing a multitude of sequences. Keeping in mind that the choreography of the evolving aircrafts would happen alongside advancements in the audio and visual presentation we also looked for opportunities that would best showcase the use of 3D technology.

Escape From This World (2D video) | Spy Films | Dashing | Cineplex

Arev's vision was crystal clear from the beginning, and how faithfully the amazingly talented visual effects team at Dashing Collective brought the storyboard to life is a testament to that. I can't forget to mention that the final 40 second film is entirely CGI.  Congratulations to all involved! And special thanks to Arev and Marcus for bringing me on board for preproduction.

For a more in-depth look behind the scenes at the making of this short film visit Cineplex.com.  If you keep your eyes peeled you may even catch a glimpse of yours truly wearing a toque and dark glasses;)

To see more work by Director Arev Manoukian check out his reel at Spy Films.

The good folks at Dashing have also put together a write up about this project discussing some of it's more technical aspects. You can find that at Dashing.tv.

The Moose

Moose | Personal Work

This national icon is painted in acrylic on a 15"x 21" illustration board.

Moose | Sketch | Process  

At the outset I knew I wanted to keep the edges of the image very loose and spontaneous.  Once I was satisfied with the sketch I used broad colourful strokes to fill in the background and then tightened up the figure with a little more care(and smaller brushes).  Also, you can see a little more detail in the moose's face in the early process photo on the right.
   

Moose | Prints | Products | Apparel  

Signed archival prints are available directly from me, or try out Society6.com. That's where the Moose and many more of my works are now available as affordable art prints, iphone cases, pillows, apparel and more. I think it would look great on the face of a paddle too or the bottom of a snowboard. 

Receive free shipping by clicking the promo link here, Society6.com. This offer is available until midnight on December 9th and excludes Framed Art Prints and Stretched Canvases. 

Do You See What I See?

Do You See What I See | A Holiday Card (unfolded, front and back showing)

Another Christmas card! 

Each folded card measures about 4.5x6.25"(31cm x 11cm unfolded)

5 cards for $20+shipping. Red, pink or blue envelopes are included.

To purchase this card email me at, ap@alexanderperkins.com Subject: Do You See What I See?

The broken white line does not appear on the printed cards.  Just here as a guide to show where the card is folded. 

Do you See What I See | Holiday Card | Detail (front and back) 

Do you See What I See | without copy

Sketches | Process

Some of the sketches and trials that went into this illustration.  At the bottom right corner you can see the sketch of an elf that didn't make the cut along with a few different outfits for St. Nick. 

Season's Beatings

Season's Beatings | A Holiday Card (unfolded, front and back showing)

I had a lot of fun putting this together. From the character design to how the greeting is revealed when the card is unfolded, there were soo many possibilities. Expect many more like this! 

Each folded card measures about 4.5x6.25"(31cm x 11cm unfolded) 

5 cards for $20+shipping. Brown or black envelopes included. 

To purchase this card email me at, ap@alexanderperkins.com. Subject: Season's Beatings 

Also, the broken white line does not appear on the printed cards.  Just used it here as a guide to show where the card is folded.

Season's Beatings | Holiday Card | Detail (front and back)

Season's Beatings | without copy

Makes a pretty haunting illustration without any words too!

Santa | Sketch | Detail

The scribble that started this illustration.  

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween |  Poster Art 2002

I painted this one when I was a student at Sheridan College to promote the Illustration programs' Annual Halloween Pub Night. I didn't have much of a plan before I picked up a brush and it kinda shows but still makes me laugh. When I was about to give up on Frank and try a different approach my good friend Adam Hilborn jumped in and brought the piece back to life when he added the Mummy! Thanks Adam!
It's a little out of date, but it was a fun collaboration that not too many folks have seen.  

  

Happy Halloween 2002 | Acrylic Painting

Above is a photograph of the original, before I mucked it up digitally trying to balance the background.  I can remember having a hard time getting a good scan or photograph of the piece back in '02 and even today there's something about the original acrylic that still doesn't translate to digital.