2000 Light Years From Home

This was the very first homepage for my site. I don't think it was up for more than a few weeks. I had created this really cool Flash website that had active buttons and stuff but it was pain to update and I quickly abandoned it for the Blogger layout you see before you.

The image above was created with overlays of transparent and semi transparent sheets of plastic that I had drawn on, using many different mediums, such as ink, oil pastel, chalk, acrylic paint, oil stick. These transparent sheets were arranged over photocopies of random things from an electrical engineering book until I had a design I was happy with. This was how I was working just as I was leaving Art school. Controlled randomness.

Strangely, this sort of what I starting to aim for in my comic book work. Not at this level of experimentation, but in the general ballpark.

A Spaceman Came Travelling

This the cover to the Ape Entertainment UFO Anthology. The colours were done by the talented Osmarco Valladao. The launch date of the online anthology was October 31 and it gets updated with a new page every Thursday and Sunday. There has been one full story posted and another one has just begun. Go check it all out here!

Life Is Funny, the story that Chris Beckett, Osmarco and I did, will start after the current one is complete!

Would Be Killer

Here's another illustration I did for the ReVeiw2aKill site. The site will be up very soon.

Marker and Whiteout on paper.

Divine Hammer

Quick sketch of Thor. Have at you, Base Villain!

Marker and whiteout on paper.

You'll Accompany Me

Well, folks, it's official. The Perhapanauts issue I drew is going to be in next month's Previews! I'm still not sure of the page or order numbers but, as soon as I know, I'll post it here. Below is the cover I drew, coloured by the talented Mike Thomas, and the solicit info that will accompany the cover.THE PERHAPANAUTS: MOLLY’S STORY (ONE-SHOT)

story TODD DEZAGO & SCOTT WEINSTEIN
art & cover JASON COPLAND
flip cover CRAIG ROUSSEAU
FEBRUARY 17
32 PAGES/FC
$3.50

Finally it can be told! The story that everyone's been waiting for, as we reveal the tragic tale of the Perhapanauts’ resident ghost – Molly MacAllister– and how she came to be!
Stand alone story! You don't need to know any continuity or anything!

Lifestyles Of The Rich And Infamous

One of the illustrations for Nuv Takhar's ReView2aKill site. This is a drawing of the infamous Nuv.

Marker and whiteout on paper.

Afterglow

And here's the inked drawing from the previous post... but now in colour. I'm pretty happy with it, although I really need to learn how to do better "glow" effects. The little lights around the base of the tree just aren't looking like what I envisioned. I also need to figure out how I want to handle smoke (make it an opaque white cloud or something like what I have here). If this was for publication, I would be more of a perfectionist. But, since it is more for helping me prepare for the actual drawing of the book, I'll let it slide.

We R In Control

Here's the previous pencil drawing inked. I think I'm starting to get a handle on how to approach this project, in terms of inking. All this was inked with a Staedtler Mars Graphic 3000. It's a brush pen that artist extraordinaire, Brian Churilla, suggested. Using the pen means a more immediate drawing experience, as you don't have to dip and roll the brush before every few lines. That is not to say that I like it more than a traditional brush but using the 3000 is definitely an easier way to control the marks and to speed up the inking process. So, in that sense, it's a fun way to draw. (still feels like cheating a bit, though...)

Tomorrow... colour!

Murder By Numbers

I started doing some sketches of imaginary scenes that will help me when it comes to do Davis. Mostly to get a feel for the world that the story will live in. This is the quick pencil drawing of a murder scene that I envision Davis attending.

Tomorrow I will post the inks of this. And on Wednesday, I'll post the colours.

Five To One

I just finished reading the second Dynamo 5 trade, by Faerber and Asrar, and was so inspired that I drew up this pinup shot of Scrap, the team's resident muscle. Great story with some amazing art.

Shining Star

Here's another illustration of one of the guys working for Nuv's soon to be launched site, ReView2aKill. I'm sure you can all figure out the reference for this shot.

Marker on paper.

A View To A Kill

Not much actually comic book making going on here at the Copland Estate. I'm working through some illustrations for Nuv Takhar's website that should be up in December. This image is of one of the columnists, Anami Vice. Anami is also a kick ass rapper that has just completed his second cd. You can grab a free download of it here!

I'll post a few more of the illustrations as the week goes on.

Helpless Dancer

I've been trying to get a nice pinup type drawing done for my blog but things just haven't been coming together. It can be a scary feeling when you draw and draw but nothing good happens. So, I decided to just do some quick faces to try and get me out of my art funk. Not sure it helped.

Here are some random faces that I did last night.

Feelin' Alright

This is my most recent collaboration, of which I'm very proud. The line work is by me and the colouring was done by up and comer, Stewart Copland. He's 4 and he's rockin' the Turtles! The lettering was part me and Stew, too. This one currently lives on the fridge.

Drawing at my table, when he gets home from daycare, has become a bit of a routine for Stewart. He tells me he'd like to do a drawing and climbs up on my big drawing chair. Sometimes he draws the whole picture, sometimes it's a collaborative drawing and sometimes I draw something and he colours it. The fact that he is interested in drawing has me feeling pretty good.

Blood Evil-Mix

I had no clue what to draw as I sat and watched the Sabres shutout the Islanders. So, when in doubt, draw Thor! I've decided I like to mix the new and old costumes together when I draw Thor.

Marker on paper.

Aurora Borealis

I was drawing while watching hockey last night. I tried to draw Aurora (the Alpha Flight twin) and came up with a big old mess. I almost put the pens down for the night in frustration but decided to give it one more go. This is what I drew next. Seemed like a fine place to stop drawing for the night.

Marker on paper.

One Night, One Chance

I got the OK from writer and One Night Stand mastermind, David Hopkins, to show a panel from our one page story, No Good Vagrant. I'm very happy with the way the page turned out.

Diamond will not be shipping any new comics during the week of December 30th, so David Hopkins is offering a ONE NIGHT STAND. It's mini-comic which contains a series of one-page vignettes, each story a collaboration with one of 32 different artists. The goal is to distribute free copies of ONE NIGHT STAND to indie-friendly retailers across North America. The stores can then sell those copies to customers looking for something new on December 30th.

David is a talented writer and I jumped at the chance to work with him. We have talked about doing something bigger when time permits. You can find more information on how to support Hopkins' book, One Night Stand, and maybe get yourself some cool extras, too!

Now, I offered the page to David to be part of the Kickstarter bonus original art level, but it looks like he has enough art to supply that demand. So, since I've been very bad at actually putting together an official Jason Copland Newsletter (look to the right side of this page... above the links... and sign up!), I'll be issuing a Newletter with the chance to win that particular page from the upcoming One Night Stand comic! Go join now and expect a newsletter with the details next Monday! I'll pay the postage to anywhere the winner lives.

*edit* if you already belong to the JCN, then you are already good to go!

Creeping Death

One of favorite creepy panels from the Perhapanauts Special that I just finished drawing. It should be listed in next (this?) month's Previews.