cal slayton | illustrator | graphic designer | comic book artist | dallas | dfw

Avengers Sketch Cards for Upper Deck

2012-01-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

Here are my sketch cards for Upper Deck's Avengers set for Marvel Comics.

The Sci Fi Expo

2012-01-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

It's that time once again. The greatness of the Sci Fi Expo is back! Ben and Mark always put on a fantastic show and this one will be no different. They have an awesome line-up of guests. The Firefly ones alone are worth coming out for. I'll be there both days doing commissions. Please stop by and say hello.

Media Guests
Eliza Dushku _ DOLLHOUSE
Adam Baldwin - FIREFLY
Jewel Staite - FIREFLY
Sean Maher - FIREFLY
Ron Glass - FIREFLY
Alexis Cruz - STARGATE
Angie Bolling - ROBOCOP
James Hampton - TEEN WOLF

Comic Creators
Bill Sienkiewicz
Bernie Wrightson
Joe Jusko
Mark Brooks
James O'Barr
Kerry Gammill
Kez Wilson
Joe Eisma
Ben Dunn
Brent Peeples
Andrew Mangum
Erik Reeves
Brian Denham

WHEN?
February 11-12, 2012 Saturday 11:00AM - 6:00PM,  Sunday 11:00AM - 4:00PM.

WHERE?
Irving Convention Center
500 W Las Colinas Blvd
Irving , TX (At intersection of 114 and NW Highway)

http://www.scifiexpo.com/DCC/sfx.html

2011 Year in Review

2012-01-20T16:31:00.000-08:00

My 2011 year in review. Some of my favorite illustrations from last year.

Stole this idea from an artist who stole it from an artist who stole it from an artist who stole it from an artist....

Steampunk Rogue and Psylocke

2012-01-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

Another sketch cover for sale.

Steampunk Jean Grey and Emma Frost

2011-12-31T18:17:00.001-08:00

Steampunk versions of Jean Grey and Emma Frost, Black Queen and White Queen of the Hellfire Club. Or should that be Hellsteam Club?

20 in 2011 Book Challenge

2011-12-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

Last year my lovely wife and I started the “20 in 2010” book challenge with the obvious goal of each reading 20 books in a year. Well, we brought it back again in 2011 and here is how I made out.

Like last year (and every year of my life), I read a lot of comic collections and art books. In 2010, for every 10 of those types of books I allowed myself to count one book to my list because it wouldn’t be fair to Heather who doesn’t read those kinds of books.

This year I read 17 “actual” books (prose, novels, whatever) and 23 comic type books. After applying my highly scientific formula, my final count is 19. So, so close. Heather ended up at 11. In her defense, she is with a toddler all day, every day and doesn’t have as many little free moments to read a few pages here and there like I do. I can read during my lunch hour while she’s at home trying to convince our kid to eat a sandwich.

We’re definitely bringing it back for 2012. We already have a stack of books waiting.

Here are all the books I read this year:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks (I loved how each chapter was a different person’s perspective. I believe a movie if being made from it.)
Ten Cent Plague by David Hajdu (Interesting read for fans of comic book history.)
The Walking Dead Volumes 11, 12, 13, and 14 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (One of the best series ever, even better than the TV show.)
Lobster Johnson, The Satan Factory by Thomas E. Sniegoski (I love Lobster, fun reading)
Among the Thugs by Bill Buford (If you’re fascinated by Brit culture like me and don’t mind a little violence, check it out.)
Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 1 by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley (Great book, Volume 2 is in my stack.)
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Enjoyed it, looking forward to the Pixar live action film.)
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson (I liked it as much as he first one.)
Elvgren: His Life & Art by Max Allan Collins and Drake Elvgren (Very cool book for Elvgren fans> Great photos of the models and set ups.)
That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas by Tom Clavin (I wish I could have been alive during this era to experience it.)
Hellboy: Emerald Hell by Tom Piccirilli (Hellboy is always good.)
Jetta by Dan DeCarlo and Craig Yoe (Little known DeCarlo work, beautiful art.)
Icons: The DC Comics & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee by Jim Lee and Bill Baker (some people love his stuff, some hate it. Cool book.)
The Appeal by John Grisham (I am not above reading Grisham. Quick, easy and entertaining.)
Chew Volumes 1, 2 and 3 by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Loving this series, hoping to catch up in 2012.)
Avengers Kree / Skrull War by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams and John Buscema (Great old school stuff.)
Hellboy: Oddest Jobs by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola (Another good collection.)
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (Never read it before, thought I should. It was okay.)
Y: The Last Man Volumes 9 and 10 by Brain K. Vaughan (and various artists) (Good conclusion to a great series.)
The Associate by John Grisham (See earlier entry.)
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman (Not as good as I hoped it would be.)
Fantastic Four Masterworks Volume 2 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Not much to say here that hasn’t already been said.)
Spider-Man / Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do by Kevin Smith and Terry Dodson (The art is Amazing. Get it?)
Shazam!: The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal by Chip Kidd and Geoff Spear (I always like Kidd’s presentation.)
Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan by Chip Kidd (See above.)
Lawless by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (I liked this one and the one below.)
Coward by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
The Passage by Justin Cronin (Really great at first, slow in the middle and then okay at the end. Biggest disappointment this year.)
The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and Sidney Edward Paget (Biggest eater of time this year. I should count it as three books. 37 short stories and a complete novel.)
I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum (One of my favorites, quick easy read full of good stuff. If you grew up with MTV, you should read it.)
The TICK: The Complete Edlund by Ben Edlund (Revisiting an old favorite.)
Firefly: The Official Companion: Volume One by Joss Whedon (Kind of a fluff book but had some good stuff in it.)
Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay (Always enjoy these.)
Astonishing X-Men Omnibus by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Squeaked this in at the last minute. First big hunk of X-Men that I've read in years. Really enjoyed it.)

Child's Custom Comic Book Cover

2011-12-29T17:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a mock comic book cover I did for a client to give to her son at Christmas.

2011 Artists

2011-12-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

Check on some great art from 2011 presented by my pal Michael Lagocki of ArtLoveMagic.

A Great Christmas Haul

2011-12-26T09:38:00.001-08:00

Some of the cool gifts I was fortunate enough to receive this Christmas. Got some good reading a head of me.

Marvel Universe 2011 Artist Return Cards

2011-12-16T17:59:00.000-08:00

Here are my 4 Artist Return cards from Rittenhouse's Marvel Universe 2011 set. All were commissioned and sold. I may have as many as 10 available from the next set, contact me if you;re interested.

My Grimm Fairy Tales Sketch Cards

2011-12-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Here are my Grimm Fairy Tales cards for 5finity and Zenescope Entertainment. Both returns are sold.

Star Wars Galaxy 7 Sketch Cards

2011-12-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

Here are all my cards for the latest set from Topps.

Walking Dead Print

2011-12-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

Rick and zombies from The Walking Dead. 8.5" x 11" prints for sale. $10.00 shipped. Email if interested. contact [at] calslayton [dot] com.

Recent Commissions

2011-12-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

MonsterTruckWizard

2011-12-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

You heard me. MonsterTruckWizard. Did this for a band. Called MonsterTruckWizard.

Sketches from Fan Days

2011-12-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

I just realized I never around to posting these here. Better late than never I suppose. Had a great time at the show, met a lot of nice people. As always, Mark and Ben put on a great convention.

Raccoon Illustration

2011-11-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

Recent drawing I did for company in Mexico.

New Sketch Cards

2011-11-02T18:55:00.001-07:00

Here are several sketch card commissions I recently did.

Odds and Ends

2011-11-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

Here are whole bunch things from various projects that I never got around to posting.

Marvel Universe 2011 Sketch Cards

2011-10-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've gotten permission to post all the cards I did for this set. Hope you like them.

Hello Dallas Morning News!

2011-10-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate and flattered to have writer Clare Miers ask to do a feature in the Dallas Morning News on me and my work. The story was printed today in the Arts & Life section of the Sunday edition. It came out great, I'm really happy with it. Thanks to Clare for the tremendous opportunity and for making me look good, which is no small feat.

If you just found me online from reading the story, please look around. If you need illustration or design work please feel free to contact me. My email is contact [AT] calslayton.com If you look at the menu bar on the right there are other places online that we can connect if you're interested. Thanks for stopping by!

Cal

Race for the Cure T-Shirt Design

2011-10-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a team t-shirt I recently designed for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

More new art

2011-10-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of other new images. A lot of these will be available at the convention this weekend. Hope you like them.

Dallas Comic Con Fan Days

2011-10-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

I will be appearing at the Dallas Comic Con Fan Days convention, this upcoming weekend, October 8-9. Looks like it's going to be another great show put on by Ben and Mark. If you were in attendance at their last show in May, you know how amazing that was. The new convention center is really nice, perfect for this event.

There are going to be tons of comic book and sci-fi guests. Click on the image to see who all will be there.

Come on out to the show. I'll be there both dates, drawings commissions all day long. Stop by and say hello, I'd love to meet you.
Here's the information...

October 8-9, 2011
Saturday 11:00AM - 6:00PM
Sunday 11:00AM - 4:00PM.

Irving Convention Center
500 W Los Colinas Blvd
Irving , TX
(Intersection of 114 and NW Highway)

Bunch of new work

2011-09-25T17:45:00.001-07:00

Been a while since I last posted, been pretty busy. Doing a lot drawing, which is good. Here are some of the things I've done recently. Currently, the sketch covers of Cable, X-23, Wolverine/Snake Eyes, Mystique and Magik are available. Email me contact AT calslayton DOT com if interested.

More from the Bettie Page Private Collection

2011-09-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Here are all my return cards, regular sketch cards and my one printed card. The two big return cards are available, the small one have sold already.

Bettie Page Private Collection

2011-09-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

One of my Artist Proof cards from the Bettie Page Private Collection set from Versicolor. This is one of two large format cards (4.5" x 6.25") that I'll have available once the set is released. I'll also have two regular sized return cards.

Grimm Fairy Tales Sketch Cards

2011-08-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

Got my blanks in the mail for this set the other day. This one is brought to you by 5finity, I hadn't done one of theirs in a while but decided to jump in on this one because it should be fun. I'm doing a limited amount and will have only 2 return cards, drop me a line if you're interested.

Some New Stuff

2011-08-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Been really busy lately and not posting as often as I would like. Here are a bunch new pieces I've done. First up is a Cloak and Dagger I did for fun. It's for sale, $55 shipped.
Next is a Rogue and Jean Grey slumber party sketch cover (based on a sketch card I previously did). Can you spot Wolverine?
I call this one "Harley Bomb". It's one of my favorites.
I like to think of this sketch cover as "X and the City", Psylocke, Rogue, Emma and Jean out on the town.
Here is a Venom I did for a relative of mine.
And lastly a quick Baroness doodle I decided to scan and color.

Recent Sketch Covers

2011-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here are several recent sketch cover commission I've done. The Punisher cover is after Tim Bradstreet, the Spider-man on is after John Romita Sr. and Gil Kane.

Story about me at Comic Alliance

2011-08-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

Please head over to ComicsAlliance.com and check out the great write up Brian Warmoth did about my art. Man, I can't begin say how flattered I am about the piece. It's a truly glowing review of my stuff and I'm just blown away by it. How can one not be when your art is described this way...

"...style involves hips built to take out tanks and flashy smiles. His cover concepts and commissions manage to flash an Archie Comics-style sense of glee, but they also sport a cartoonish sexiness..."

So, please visit their site and check out all the great articles. My favorite is "Best Art Ever" which I check out every Friday and was honored to be a part of recently. Thanks Comics Alliance!

Avengers Kree Skrull War Artist Returns

2011-08-02T18:33:00.001-07:00

Right now X-23, Deadpool and Domino are still available.
UPDATE: All are now sold. Thanks to all the buyers!

Brock Samson vs Mr. Fixit Hulk

2011-07-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting mash-up I was recently commissioned to do. Brock Samson from Venture Bros. taking on the Mr. Fixit version of the Incredible Hulk. I became (huge, huge) fan of Venture Bros. this year, tearing through the entire series on dvd. So, I plan on doing more of the characters if I ever get a break from doing commissions and freelance stuff. I really want to do a Dr. Mrs. The Monarch! I did manage to sneak Hank and Dean Venture into this one. Hope you like it.

Quick Vector Image

2011-07-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a little illustration I did for a softball team's shirt.

Commissions, Commissions, Commissions

2011-07-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

I have been doing a ton of commissions lately, including all the sketch covers a few posts back. I don't think I've had a break since before mid-June. Which is a good thing. And I've got 4 more lined up that I'm about to start. Here is the stuff I've been producing. If you like what you see and would like something of your own, here are my current prices:

Full color - Single character - $40
Inked only - Single character - $30
For a detailed background, add $10
For each additional character, add $10
Shipping, add $5
If you want it on a sketch cover (that I provide), add $5

Character Designs

2011-07-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Recent character designs I did for a client.

New Sketch Covers

2011-07-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

Being doing a ton of commissions lately, here are three new sketch covers.
Scarlett and Lady Jaye from GI Joe:Baroness and Zarana from Cobra:Dark Phoenix:Savage Land Phoenix and Storm:Ghost Rider and Black Widow

Update on Spookytown Graphic Novel

2011-07-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

It's still in the works! I guess that's the update. I haven't posted anything about it in a while, been too busy with other projects, but it's still on the drawing board. I'm on page 50, so just 20 more to go and then it's all drawn. I've already got all the lettering files started. I'll just need to scan it, color it and drop in the word balloons. I'm looking forward to seeing it completed.

Frisco STYLE Magazine Strips - The latest batch

2011-07-02T17:49:00.000-07:00

Written by the staff of Frisco STYLE Magazine and illustrated by me.

Avengers Kree Skrull Wars Sketch Cards

2011-06-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Just got approval to post these, hope you dig them.

X-Men #50 Sketch Cover

2011-06-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Commissioned Sketch Cover. My take on the classic Steranko cover for X-Men #50. no pressure, right?

The original...

Dark Phoenix Sketch Cover

2011-06-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

A thousand feet above Central Park, 1980. For sale.

Marvel Universe 2011 from Rittenhouse

2011-06-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

Got my blanks for my first sketch card set from Rittenhouse. This one is Marvel Universe 2011.

Hulk Avengers Sketch Cover

2011-06-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here's another new one I did for fun. It's available for purchase if anyone is interested in it.

Wolverine Sketch Cover

2011-06-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sketch cover I did last night while sitting on the couch, watching TV with my lovely wife.

Sketch Covers and Commissions from Dallas Comic Con

2011-05-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

I had a great time at the Dallas Comic Con this past weekend. Thanks to Mark and Ben for putting on a great event. It was my best appearance to date. And thanks to everyone who stopped by to talk, buy stuff or get sketches, I apprciate it. Here are some of the things I created.

Captain America Sketch Cards

2011-05-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here are all my cards for the upcoming Captain America card set from Upper Deck and Marvel. All the APs are currently sold except for X-23. I had a lot of fun working on this set.

Come out to the Dallas Comic Con

2011-05-04T12:43:00.001-07:00

Yes, the Dallas Comic Con back and I think it’s bigger than ever! Below are just some of the guests that will be in attendance. I will be there doing commissions on both days. If you plan on attending and would like to commission and pay for a piece a head of time and pick it up at the show, just email me (contact at calslayton.com).

Special Comic Book Guests:
Stan Lee - creator of SPIDER-MAN, FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN
John Romita Jr. - legendary Marvel artist IRON MAN, SPIDER-MAN
Amanda Conner - artist POWER GIRL, THE PRO, VAMPIRELLA
Jimmy Palmiotti - writer of JONAH HEX, POWER GIRL, PUNISHER
Ethan Van Sciver - artist of GREEN LANTERN, FLASH, X-MEN
Bernie Wrightson - co-creator of SWAMP THING
Steve Niles - creator of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, CRIMINAL MACABRE
Tim Bradstreet - cover artist PUNISHER, HELLBLAZER, HELLRAISER
Todd Nauck - noted SPIDER-MAN artist of the Barack Obama story
Mitch and Elizabeth Breitweiser - artists of CAPTAIN AMERICA
James O’Barr - creator and artist of THE CROW
Kerry Gammill - artist of SUPERMAN, POWER MAN AND IRON FIST

Special Media Guests:
Leonard Nimoy - Spock on original STAR TREK, star of FRINGE
Carrie Fisher - Princess Leia in original STAR WARS trilogy
Laurie Holden - star of THE WALKING DEAD, THE MIST
Irone Singleton - star of THE WALKING DEAD on AMC
John Wesley Shipp - star of THE FLASH, DAWSON’S CREEK
Amanda Pays - star of THE FLASH and MAX HEADROOM

May 21-22, 2011
Saturday 11:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm
Irving Convention Center
500 W Los Colinas Blvd
Irving, TX (Intersection of 114 and NW Highway)

New Sketch Cards

2011-05-03T18:34:00.001-07:00

Punisher, Ms. Marvel, Saturn Girl and Psylocke. All for sale.

Three Cows Shot Me Down

2011-05-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

Don't know what that means? Don't worry, most people don't and it would take too to long to explain but it has to do with the classic 1970s Avengers storyline "The Kree-Skrull War". The storyline that will now become a card set from Upper Deck and Marvel Comics. I'm happy to say that I was invited to produce sketch cards for this set. I'm really psyched for this one because of all the great characters in the story. Thor, Captain America, Vision, Goliath, Yellow Jacket, Ant Man, Wasp, Captain Marvel, Super Skrull, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Rick Jones, Quicksilver, Annihilus, Black Bolt, The Inhumans, Ronan the Accuser, Nick Fury, Mandroids, Supreme Intelligence. That's a ton of greatness to draw from.

I got my blanks in the mail and have my reference material ready. This time, only one book, the trade paperback of the story. Nice and convenient. This one should be fun.

New Pin-ups

2011-05-02T18:09:00.001-07:00

X-23 and Mary Marvel. Both for sale.

Marvel Beginning Cards

2011-04-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here are my regular Marvel Beginnings sketch cards for Upper Deck and Marvel. I wish this could've turned out a little better, but they experimented with a grayish background that kept markers from adhering to the stock well.

Personalized Sketch Cards

2011-04-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

I got my first ever personalized blank sketch cards in the mail the other day. They were given to me by Versicolor Productions for working on their upcoming Bettie Page Private Collection. I designed them.

Splash Woman from Mega Man

2011-04-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

UDON Entertainment was taking submissions for their upcoming Mega Man Tribute book. Here's my submission that didn't get picked. I don't feel too bad, I think they said they had thousands of entries. I picked one of the few females in the Mega Man universe. A character I knew nothing about, Splash Woman. It was fun to do and at least it will fill a page in my next sketchbook.

Here is my version of her...
Here was my source material...

Two more new sketch cards

2011-04-20T19:13:00.001-07:00

Rogue is sold, Emma Frost is available.

New Sketch Cards

2011-04-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent cards I've done. All are available except for the Buffy and Rogue/Phoenix slumber party, those were private commissions. Update: Phoenix and X-23 are now sold.

Sketch Covers

2011-04-15T17:55:00.001-07:00

I've just started getting into doing sketches on these blank comic book covers. So far I'm digging it, but it really depends on the quality of the paper stock. I learned that not all blank sketch covers are created equal. I loved the Avengers and X-Men stock but that Wolverine was a bear (can a wolverine be a bear?) to work with. It would not take markers nicely and when I tired to erase pencil marks it took ink along with it. Anyway, I hope to keep doing these and I hope you like them. The Black Widow was a private commission but the others are for a sale. Drop me a line if you're interested.

Image Dump

2011-04-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a few miscellaneous things I've done recently. Illustration for a website...Custom drawing of a friend of mine and his fiance...Logo for some filmmakers...The latest strips for Frisco STYLE Magazine...

Marvel Beginnings Artist Returns Sketch Cards

2011-03-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here are my returns for Upper Deck and Marvel Comics' "Marvel Beginnings set. As of now they're all sold except for Wolverine. The stock for this set was really hard to work with, most artist (including me) struggled with it some. It didn't really want to take ink well. The previous set (Thor) had great stock and the one I'm doing now (Captain America) is the same stock as Thor. Hope you like them.

Wolverine Piece for Auction

2011-03-18T19:10:00.001-07:00

I was asked if I would be willing to participate in the Jolene Houser Live Art Auction Saturday, April 2 in Denton. Jolene Houser is a comic book artist who was injured in an automobile accident, this art auction will try to raise money to assist with her medical bills. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it out to the show. But I did want to help if I could, so I did this Wolverine piece and am sending to the organizers so they can (hopefully) auction it off. It's ink, markers and white pencil on cardboard and measures 16" x 20" (big enough that I had to scan it in 6 sections). It's a bit of a departure from my usual stuff. I typically like nice clean illustrations, but I wanted to do something a little more kinetic. Hope you like. If you do like, please head out to the auction and bid on it. Even if you don't like, go to the auction, they may have something you do like.

Gillian's Heart

2011-03-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

Here are some pages I did back in 2008 that never got published, or technically, are still waiting to be published. I never posted them because I kept thinking the project would come through one day. But, when I found them all on the writer's website (including the first two pages the colorist worked on), I thought I might as well post them too. It's called Gillian's Heart: Diamonds Are a West African Warlord’s Best Friend. It was supposed to go in an anthology called Less Than Three (get it?), and maybe it will someday, but I'm not banking on it.

It was a fun story to work on, but looking back at it almost three years later, there is a lot I would do differently. My art is a bit clunky in places, and I think (I hope) I've improved since then. Anyway, here it is. Catch the cameo of my (always lovely) wife and I in the first panel on the bridge way in the background (you can't really tell it's us). It's a nod to the bridge I proposed to her on in Central Park.

Lost Grooves Cover

2011-03-05T18:12:00.001-08:00

Here is a cover I just finished for writer Chad Lambert. The book is a collection of some of his previously published short stories, including one I illustrated back in 2008 called "Kissed by a Muse". This was a lot of fun to work on. He told me he wanted a cute girl listening to old records and tapes and let me go from there. I also designed the logo.

If you're curious about what albums and tapes I put on the cover. Here's a close-up and the list.

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
The Specials - The Specials
Elvis Costello - My Aim is True
Iron Maiden - Piece of MInd
LL Cool J - Radio
The Cult - Electric
Prince - Purple Rain
KISS - Love Gun
Run DMC - Run DMC
Eric B. and Rakim - Paid in Full
Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show
3rd Bass - The Cactus Album
The Clash - London Calling

More Hack/Slash AP Cards

2011-03-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

Both sold.

Lady Death Sketch Cards

2011-03-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here are my Lady Death cards for 5finity.

Captain America Reference!

2011-03-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

Just a few books I dug out for Captain America reference while doing my sketch cards for Upper Deck and Marvel. Good stuff.

New Sketch Cards

2011-02-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

Just a few new sketch cards I did recently. Black Cat, Nova Red Hulk vs. Hulk, Mystique and Kraven the Hunter. all available for purchase. Just email me if you're interested... contact [at] calslayton [dot] com

Follow Me on Twitter

2011-02-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

Why not? It'll be fun for you. Maybe. I can't make any promises.

http://www.twitter.com/calslayton

Captain America Sketch Cards

2011-02-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Got my blanks in today from Upper Deck for Marvel Comics' Captain America card set. It ties in with the film that's coming out this year. Should be fun to work on.

Some Vector Faces

2011-02-22T18:36:00.001-08:00

Most Recent Frisco STYLE Comic Strips

2011-02-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Written by the staff of Frisco STYLE Magazine and illustrated by me.

Thor Sketch Cards

2011-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Here are my cards I did for the upcoming Thor movie tie-in card set produced by Upper Deck and Marvel Comics. I had a ton of fun working on these cards, probably the most fun on any set I've done. I love 70's Thor comics, 60's too of course for Kirby's work, but I really loved the 70's stuff by Buscema. So, I stuck solely with those eras as far as characters and costumes go. With the exception of the Beta Ray Bill I did. The Artist Exclusives are for sell, just contact me if you're interested. Enchantress has sold already.
I also had fun going through my old comics for reference...

Voltron: United and Drawn has arrived

2011-02-01T13:26:00.001-08:00

I got my comp copies of Voltron: United and Drawn in the mail today and they look great. My pin-up is on page 18. First thing I noticed was I didn't even sign the drawing. Oh well, it came out looking nice at least. There are a ton of cool illustrations in this thing, can't wait to go through it all.

I have two extras for sale - $30 each plus $5 shipping or you can order it online.

Sci-Fi Expo Postgame

2011-01-30T17:50:00.000-08:00

Day one of the convention started terribly slow for me. I really thought the weekend was going to be bad and that I was gonna wind up not doing much business. But I should have never doubted a Ben Stevens and Mark Walters show. Mid-day it picked right up and keep going strong the rest of the weekend. I think that there were so many great media guests people spent most of the morning making the rounds to them.

Big, big thanks to Mark and Ben, I always appreciate them having me out. Be sure to mark your calendars for their next show in May. Mark said I was definitely in for that one, so I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be at the new Irving Convention Center, the place looks awesome. Stan Lee and Leonard Nimoy are already lined up, so you know it's gonna be big!

Above are some of the commissions I did during the show. Thanks to everybody that stopped by my table.

Sci Fi Expo - January 29 and 30

2011-01-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

It's that time again! Time for the Sci FI Expo and it's back at the Plano Centre this year, which I love because it's just that much closer to where I live. This time they're going with a "Women of Sci-Fi" theme that doesn't disappoint.

Right off the bat ... Morena Baccarin, Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff. Bam. Bam. Bam. What more do you want? Okay, how about ... Nichelle Nichols, Alaina Huffman, Erin Gray, Yvonne Craig and Anne Lockhart. Then throw in a bunch of great artists and tons of dealer tables and you've got yourself a show. I'll be there doing commissions and selling copies of my sketchbook.

So why not load up the entire family into the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and head on out this weekend to the Sci Fi Expo? You know you want to.

Live Art Show

2011-01-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at Comicpalooza last night. Here's a look at my finished Harley Quinn piece, as well as a few progress shots. My biggest fear was that no one would bid on it but thankfully they did and it sold for $95. Thanks to Jeremy from Titan Comics for the winning bid. Thanks also to the Art Love Magic crew (Michael, Mario, David and Deb) for having me out. It was also great to see fellow artist friends Samax, Khalid, Michael and meeting a few new ones as well. It was a fun night.

Check out The Hero Initiative.

My Reading Stack

2011-01-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

Between old Santy Claus and gift cards, I've got a crazy stash of books to read. And no, I've never read "The Hobbit" (or the LOTR trilogy for that matter) or "A Princess of Mars". Looking forward to both.

Comicpalooza

2011-01-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

Come out to the live art show this Saturday night.

Comicpalooza
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
Arnetic
2826 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75226

Proceeds from the art sales will go to benefit the Hero Initiative, a charity whose mission is to provide financial or medical assistance to the comic creators who gave us their stories, their labor, and their love but all too often ended up without pensions, royalties, or insurance.

Click here for more info on Comicpalooza

Album Cover Illustration

2011-01-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

Did this a while back and forgot to post it.

"Chew" Pin-up

2011-01-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

A commission piece I just finished. The characters Tony Chu and John Colby from the comic book "Chew" by John Layman and Rob Guillory. This is one of those great looking books that I haven't had a chance to read yet. And after doing research for this piece, I think I need to pick this bad boy up. Seems like printed greatness.

I like how people have posted online who they think should play the characters. I saw a lot of Miles and Sawyer from "Lost", which I have to say I agree with from what I've seen of these characters. I showed this drawing to my lovely wife and asked her who she thought should play these characters and that's exactly who she said. Anyway, I digress. I hope I did them justice even though I wasn't super familiar with them. Apologies to Layman and Guillory if I missed the mark.

2010 Goals - Scorecard

2010-12-30T13:37:00.001-08:00

Around this time last year, I went public with my goals for 2010. I think it’s only fair that I publicly acknowledge whether or not I met those goals. So, here goes.

Some of them were accomplished and some of them were not. But I can say with all honesty that the reason I wasn’t successful with some were do to my success with others. I was amazingly (thankfully) busy this year. As you can tell from my blog posts alone. In 2009, I had 84 post, as of right now I have 123. So, I was crunched for time, but I did try. Here we go…

Redesign my website. Started out big at the beginning of the year and then fizzled out. Lately I’ve just been directing people here since it’s more up-to-date.

Spookytown. Yikes, this is my biggest disappointment. I didn’t even finish drawing it much less scanning, coloring and lettering. I did take them to set up the lettering for every page, so there’s that.

Sketch Cards. My biggest success. I started the year never having been on a sketch card set. I finished the year having been on eight. Dead@17, Empire Strikes Back, P’ups, The Pro, Mixtape, Hack/Slash, Clone Wars, and Domino Lady / The Spider. And already in the works for 2011 is Lady Death, Bettie Page, Thor, Captain America and Marvel Beginnings. Part of that goal was to get in sets for DC, Marvel and Star Wars. Two down, now to get DC.

I’ve done so much of them that I have to cut back. I already reluctantly turned down Sheena for 5finity because f time restraints. So, I think this year you might see less of them from me.

Publish a sketchbook. Done and done. I was very pleased with myself for this one. I had wanted to do it for some time. It was a lot of work to compile and I think the end result is pretty nice. Hey, you can buy it online you know.

The Complete Shades of Blue. Goal un-achieved. I thought Jim had the lettered files from all the issues, but it turned out that he didn’t. But, he’s actually having them re-lettered (and colored) to put them online. So maybe you’ll hear something about that later.

So there you have it. Two for five. But I can proudly say that the failed ones weren’t failed to due to laziness. And like I said I a year ago, even if none of these silly things got accomplished and my family was still healthy and happy and was able to support them, the year would be a success. Unfortunately, we lost a family member this year, my cousin Aggie, who we all miss. We also lost our 12 year old cat Frankie. But mostly 2010 was kind to us and we appreciate. Look for my 2011 goals coming soon.

20 in 2010 Book Challenge

2010-12-30T06:26:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the 2010, Heather and I started a challenge, to read at least 20 books each during the year. Even with all the stuff we have going on, both of us have always read a lot. We’re chain readers, if you will, knowing which book we’re going to read next before we’re finished with our current one. Bookmark goes out of one into the next.

Here are my results. Technically, I read 51 “books”. But to be fair, a lot of them were comic book or comic strip collections, which could be read really quickly. So I thought in the spirit of the challenge, only written, non-comic books should be counted. But in fairness to me, I thought I should get some credit for reading them, since they did take time after all. So I’m going with every 10 of those count as one book.

So, I read 18 “actual” books and 34 comic type books. Using my equation, that nets me just over 21 books. Success! Success!

Here is my list:

Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre by Gorillaz (Great band, great art, great book)
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes (Pretty good)
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl (A bit so slow at times)
My Custom Van by Michael Ian Black (Sporadically funny)
The Rocketeer, Cliff’s New York Adventure by Dave Stevens (Beautiful art)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (Yes, I gave into the book that was everywhere. And I liked it.)
L.A. Noir by John Butin (Very interesting read)
Hellboy: The Ice Wolves by Mark Chadbourn (Hellboy novels are almost always good. This one was too.)
Bob Flame: Rocky Mountain Ranger by Dorr Yeager (Bought this at the gift shop in Rocky Mountain National Park)
No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (Movie follows the book almost exactly, the towards the end there are differences)
Parker: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke (Always incredible, I have the second book cued up)
Too Fat To Fish by Artie Lange (Hilarious and sometimes sad)
Hellboy: The All Seeing Eye by Mark Morris (Good)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and Bagram Ibatoulline (Children's novel)
Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (Kick-ass)
The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming (Not terrible, not great)
The Dick Tracy Casebook edited by Max Allan Collins and Dick Locher (Great illustrations, hit and miss storylines)
Dead@17 Afterbirth by Josh Howard (Always fun)
The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler (Chandler entertains)
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsey (Love me some Dexter)
Dead@17 The 13th Brother by Josh Howard (More Josh goodness)
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi (Pretty engrossing, look into it)
The Clash by The Clash (I wish the Beastie Boys would do a book like this)
Bone: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith (My first time reading the Bone series, loved it)
Red Rocket 7 by Mike Allred (Really enjoyed this and all the musical references through the years)
Shes’ Crazy, He’s a Liar, Now What? by Cecily Knobler (This is a book I illustrated. I read most of the working manuscript as I was doing the art, but went back a read the entire thing. Very funny and shocking at times. Cecily, you've got some stories in you.
FoxTrox: Houston We Have a Problem by Bill Amend (I was sad when FoxTrox went Sundays only, knowing these collections would stop)
Scott Pilgrim 1-6 by Scott Lee O’Malley (Awesomeness)
The Walking Dead Volumes 1-9 by Robert Kirkman (and various artists) (Awesomeness)
Y: The Last Man by Brain K. Vaughan (and various artists) (Awesomeness)

As you can see, I was all over the place. I don’t know if I could pick my favorite from all of these. Walking Dead, Y and Scott Pilgrim are definitely standouts. My Custom Van was definitely the most disappointing. It was a fun ear of reading, I gotta say.

We're going to do it again in 2011. I already have two books going right now and about ten lined up. And for the record, the lovely Heather ended up reading 19 books. What a loser, right?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T17:58:00.001-08:00

Marvel Sketch Cards by Upper Deck

2010-12-14T18:36:00.001-08:00

I'm honored and excited to announce I will be working on three upcoming Marvel Comics card sets being produced by Upper Deck. I've just my blanks for "Marvel Beginnings" and "Thor" and should be getting the "Captain America" ones soon after. Both "Thor" and "Captain America" will be tied in with the new films.

Lady Death Preview Sketch Card

2010-12-12T11:54:00.000-08:00

My preview card for5finity's Lady Death Sketch Card Set.

A Couple of Cards

2010-12-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some custom cards I did for a friend of mine. One for her son's (and Jack's buddy) birthday party and one for her work Christmas card. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Voltron: United and Drawn

2010-12-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

5finity is producing a Voltron coffee table book and I'm supposed to have a pin-up in it. I'm not that great with mechanical stuff, so I stuck with what I knew. I drew Princess Allura, who I had never heard of until this.

From the site..."5FINITY Productions, in association with Moonstone Books and World Events Productions, presents the first ever official art book based on the classic animated series Voltron: Defender of the Universe. An endearing blend of fantasy and mechanics, this legendary brand has fused itself into social and pop-culture history. To many genre fans, Voltron was the original transforming robotic action series and introduced an entire generation into the world of Japanese style animation. A mix of official brand history, original artwork, fan memories, celebrity testimonials, and more, this project will celebrate Voltron's influence on pop culture and beyond!"

Pre-Order Voltron: United and Drawn

Domino Lady and The Spider Preview Card

2010-12-04T18:02:00.001-08:00

My preview card form the Domino Lady and The Spider sketch card set from 5finity.

Cents Magazine

2010-11-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

My copy of American Airlines Cents Magazine with my illustrations in it came today.

Custom Illustrations

2010-11-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

Did this piece for a couple's wedding invitation...
Did this for a good friend (of a hundred years), who is a physical therapist...

G.I. Joe Adventure Team

2010-11-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick pin-up of a GI Joe Adventure Team member from the 70s. I did a drawing similar to this when I was a little kid (see below) and wanted to recreate it as an adult. I was a hugh Adventure Team fan back then. Still am I suppose. I still have a few figures, foot locker and even the big headquarters. I even bought Jack a few the replica Joes that have come out in the past several years but he's not old enough for them yet. I wish had more time to do drawings like this just for kicks, but duty calls you know.

Connect with me on deviantART

2010-11-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

I've had a deviantART account for about a year now, but really never did anything with it because I found the interface to be a bit clunky. But I recently buckled down and started using that sucker. So if you're on there yourself, check out my profile. I still have a lot of stuff to add, so check back from time to time.

Cal Slayton - deviantART

Dead@17 Commission - Nara vs Violet

2010-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a piece someone recently commissioned me to do. It's Dead@17's Nara Kilday battling Violet Grey from the end of Blood of Saints. The only tweak to it is he wanted Nara in a "goth punky outfit", which I was more than willing to provide. I'm pretty happy with how this piece turned out. It came together pretty quickly. One thumbnail got me the pose I wanted and it took from there. This is ink on bristol, colored with Prismacolors. Hope you like it.

Sneak Peek

2010-10-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a little teaser of a comic book cover I'm working on.

More Frisco STYLE Strips

2010-10-29T18:12:00.001-07:00

Written by the staff of Frisco STYLE Magazine and illustrated by me.

American Airlines Cents Magazine

2010-10-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to do some freelance illustrations for American Airlines. One of their publications is called Cents Magazine, which is published for American Airlines Federal Credit Union. They did a story on "Surviving Self-Employment: Five money rules to help you stay ahead of the curve". They needed some illustrations to go along with it and contacted me to see if I'd be interested in the job. Well, of course I was. They sent over the story along with some ideas they had and I went to it. Here is the finished results, hope you like it. I had fun working on it.

Lady Death Sketch Cards

2010-10-22T18:59:00.001-07:00

My next set up from 5finity is the Lady Death Sketch Card Set. Should be a great set, artists actually had to "audition" for this one by sending is a sample drawing before being accepted. So keep your eyes open for this one.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Sketch Card

2010-10-20T19:32:00.001-07:00

A recent commission. I'm always open for commissions, so if you want something done, just drop me a line.

My Hack/Slash Sketch Cards

2010-10-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

Here are all my cards from 5finity's Hack/Slash Sketch Card Set.

Spider-Man Pin-up

2010-10-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a Spider-Man commission I did for a friend's nephew.

Adventures of Construct Man

2010-10-13T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is a personalized 2 page comic I did for a client a little while back. He had a professor friend who was receiving some sort of special recognition at a big event. Nearly 100 of his friends were submitting remembrances of the guy. The people who organized the celebration event selected about 8 - 10 to turn into poster-sized versions for the event. My client said ours was prominently displayed in the room along with several limericks, and a few photographs. He said that it got tons of comments and was a big hit.

He wrote the script, though I took his name off here because I didn't know if he would want to it public. There was also a personal note on the last panel which I removed for the same reason.