What does the Holiday season mean to you? I celebrate Christmas myself, and I'm not a religious person. Honestly, I'm tired of the "buyme-buyyou" attitude, and I sincerely hope within atleast the next few decades (yes it'll probably take that long) peoples thoughts of this time of year changes. I'm a firm believer in that this time of year is a time to relfect and be thankful for the things you have done to make your own life and others around you richer. It's a time for family and friends, and as long as you have a bit of that, you'll have all you need. No Ipods, No XBox's, No Designer clothes. Just people you love. I will always remember the last few lines of Suess' classic, which I think embraces this time of year very well;

"Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand."

Cheers

Dapper

The Bunny Man Cometh

Here's a pic I did for my good bud Tim Kelly
Thanks for all the feedback guys, I'll be posting a bigger journal very soon!

Cheers

Dapper

Happy Hallowe'en Everyone! Here are some ghoulish treats for all you spectres and spooks!

-Undead Dan

The Sketch Tavern is holding a new contest for Hallowe'en! If any of you guys want to join in feel free to pop over and sign up. Here are the rules and guide lines:

The Tavern's very own Haunted Contest! Read the description and rules below. Follow the link here to enter: The Haunted Tavern Contest

The Haunted Tavern's Horror Movie Madness Contest
Contest begins Friday October 20 thru to the closing date of November 3.
All entries will be submitted to either Tim Kelly or Dapper Dan via Private Message at the Tavern Forums. Please use a image host or your own site to submit art.
Winners will be chosen by the Sketch Tavern Crew and announced shortly after the deadline.

“Horror Films are designed to elicit fright, fear and disgust from their viewers. In horror film plots, evil forces, events, or characters, sometimes of supernatural origin, intrude into the everyday world.”

You’re ghoulish task for this creepy contest is to think of an original concept for a Horror movie. The 2 week contest will challenge your design skills, composition skills and overall ability to project the mood required to give people the cold running chills.

Sign up in this thread and state which design you will be creating for week one. The designs will be due one week from today. Send all art via PM to Tim Kelly or Dapper Dan no later than the 27th of October, at midnight. 6 winners from this round will be chosen. They will then will move onto round 2.

1st Week
-Design either a Hero or Victim
Create one design for the main hero or victim of the Horror film you would make. Flesh them out well with a biography, pose sheet and one pose with colors. You cannot use an existing character from any genre, the design must be original. Winners from this round will move onto the second round.

2nd Week
-Make a Movie Poster
Details to be announced after completed designs are submitted…muahahahaha

Prizes

1st Place
- Ghostbusters 1&2 DVD Set
- A Starring role in Lightbomb Mike’s “Eat the Robinsons” short story for the published anthology “Cereal and Pajamas” due out early next year.
- One Sketch from Lightbomb Mike, Hen, Tim Kelly and Dapper Dan (4 sketches in total)
- Dapper Dan’s Ghostbusters “This Chick Is Toast” Print and “Cleanin Up The Town” Print
- Dapper Dan Sketch book
- Lightbombmike Sketch book

2nd Place
- “You being killed by Zombies!” A Supporting role in Lightbomb Mike’s “Eat the Robinsons” short story for the published anthology “Cereal and Pajamas” due out early next year.
- One Sketch from Lightbomb Mike, Hen, Tim Kelly and Dapper Dan (4 sketches in total)
- Dapper Dan’s Ghostbusters “Who Ya Gonna Call” Print
- Dapper Dan Sketch book
- Lightbombmike Sketch book

3rd Place
- “You as a lifeless corpse!” A Supporting role in Lightbomb Mike’s “Eat the Robinsons” short story for the published anthology “Cereal and Pajamas” due out early next year.
- Dapper Dan Sketch book and a sketch
- Lightbombmike Sketch book

I've recently been jammin with some buddys online as well. We all pick a topic and rock out a piece within 20 mins. Here are the ones I've done so far:



Thanks again for all the awesome feedback guys! It's greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Dan

For me, the Fall has to be my favorite time of year. The smell of autumn, the rustic colored leaves, and of course my favorite holiday...HALLOWE'EN! Over at the Sketch Tavern (see above image) we have a spooky animation that Cale Atkinson and I cooked up in the cauldron.



I'm extremely excited this year too, as I get to take my beautiful daughter out to a few houses for tricks or treats. I'll post up pictures of my little Witch (her costume) after All Hallows Eve. But until then, here's a haunted ritual I started 3 yrs ago. Every year I do a pic based on one of my favorite movies ever, Ghostbusters. Until next time, happy haunts!

More from today

And thanks again guys for your comments

:) Dan

Behind Green Eyes,

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

Thanks a lot for all the positive feedback everyone. At this time, it's extremely positive to hear.

Take care,

Dapper

Sad times for the Dapper :(
"Some think that holding on makes us stronger, but the true test of ones strength is letting go..."

Just wanted to drop down some more art and say thanks for all the feedback and comments! I'm just posting some sketches this time + one colab between Tim Kelly and I. Tim and I did the roughs in Chicago whilst chillin in the Motel 2...ummm er 6. Also the post it's are a part of Cale Atkinson and I's daily ritual of drawing, that's us as Pirates! YAAAAARRRR. October should be a very busy month for me with work and other things going on in my life.

Cheers

Sorry it's been a while since my last post! So little things to do, and so much time.....strike that, and reverse it. Here's a few pieces that I've done in the past month. Thanks for all the feedback as well! I'll be back with something more filling soon. Cheers

Dan

Just thought I'd drop some more DC heros up here. Not too much to say other than I'm still getting stuff together for the con. Actually, I have to kick my ass in gear as it's only a few weeks away. Hehe, artists, such procrastinators! Cheers

Nananananananananana...BATMAN! Can never resist the temptation to sing that tune when presented to me. Not too much news to speak of. I've gotten my sketch books back from the printers, and they look pretty fine. I'll be taken them with me to Chicago in August along with some prints and original work. I'll try and post more work on here next week, as I've a busy week ahead of me. - Hat tip

Day after Canada Day, and it's back to the grind stone! Well, to be honest I work everyday, so I guess that saying doesn't apply to me. Currently I'm working on putting together a "Sketch Book" for the Chicago Comic con. Just going through this past years sketches and pics and deciding what should go in the book. I'm getting quite excited to go as well. Being able to meet Jess (hearts) and Tim is a highlight, and being in a huge area full of art is sure to fire up the muse. I've actually never been back east, so this trip will be one to remember. I'll be sure to take pics and post them when I get back. I hope to network a lot while I'm there, and nudge nudge some big wigs in the biz. Personally, I really don't like to do sequentials, but I'm very excited to do pin ups and covers. On another exciting note, the Sketch Tavern should have it's very first Podcast up in August. The crew will discuss news relating to animation/comics, a roundtable discussion and a q&a with a featured artist. This weekend I also discovered that wireless internet connections are a pain in the ass to hook up. So now, I'm taking that wireless router back in exchange for the good ol' full of wires one. Ah, isn't technology grand?

Thought I'd share a few newer pieces on this here Bloggy McBloggerton. The Mario piece was inspired by an artist friend and ST alumini Tim Kelly. If you haven't seen his work, do so, it's fresh and wicked in style and color. Tim Kelly's Work: http://timkelly.deviantart.com/ With the Mario pic, I went in a new direction, trying to keep the line of action flowing thoughout the characters design. I also applied this to the Pee Wee Herman pic, which was done for the Sketch Tavern's weekly jam. The last pic was done for the Invincible Handbook, published by Image Comics, which will be released at the San Diego Comic Con in July. The handbook is a collection of artists doing all the characters from the Invincible Universe. It's a must have if you are a fan of the book! On a side note, if anyone out there is going to be at the Chicago Comic Con in August, Tim Kelly and I will be there with fellow artists Jessica Plummer and Ian Seniff, pimpin the Sketch Tavern. Be sure to stop by and say hi!

- Hat tip

Welcome! My name is Dan Schoening, and I'm currently working as an animator/illustrator in Victoria, BC. I also share a colaborative website with some fellow amazing artists called the Sketch Tavern. I'll post an more in depth blog sometime soon, so in the mean while I'll share some recent work with ya. Also a shout out to Cale for getting me on here, be sure to check out his page, as he's got some great work posted there.

Thanks very much for stopping by, and hurry back now ya here!