The Way things work out.

Hey there sports fans, Al here with latest:
As what I thought was gonna be a slow beginning of the year but I was oh so wrong about that. 

COMMISSIONS:
Well three commissions have been completed and one has been paid in full and I am waiting on the other  two right at the moment.  All good things. So more commissions as of yet but that is only a matter of time  as I work on the projects at home or out and about.

BIG 400 - Aftermath.

I love the sound of that just because it sounds oh-so-ominous.  The sales of the work have come down from the show and results are in 6 of 10 pieces sold which was awesome but after looking at what was left I think I have a better understanding why they didn't sell.  This is to say they are not bad pieces of work but someone leaves behind Corpse Cop

that makes me think I need to just make more dynamic looking pieces.  Action was always something that keeps the work looking cool.  Just look at the "Deep Sea Calamari"  The others pieces that sold at O.M.S. were also a action based image "In the Nick of Time".  So I think I might to start working on that as well, the theme anyway.
With that amount of money that has been generated recently it allows me to roll it over into other merchandise such as the t-shirts that I had talked about last year.
I also have been talking to other artists recently about incorporating the company so I am not just bleeding money out as a hobby but as a serious business.  I know that other friends of mine have been after me to do this but I just didn't take the advise under advisement.  I think when you spend a lot time with friends they are your family and sometimes when you have heard the same thing from them over and over you kinda don't hear those comments anymore.  It's not that you don't care you just accept that they are always going to keep saying it.  In a weird way you kinda expect it.  Almost a comfort because you know they care about your well being and only want the best for you.    The other things are following up with a real website being paid for and setting up a time to talk to some print shops not to far from the house to make exactly that affordable prints of the work.  
Y'know diversifying the merchandise and being able to sell anything to everyone at different income scales. 

HOP THRU THE HEART -an art show
As things had begun to slow down for the end of the year of 2013 other items began to line up as soon as the new year began The Hop Thru The Heart Art Show is one of those.
As I had just finished with bringing down the OMS from last year and had turned in work for the BIG 400 had just been dropped off and as I was just sitting back and doodling at the bar and I was asked to see if I would be ready to have a show up and running for N.W.I.P.A. in February of this year. With the amount of work already produced for OMS and previous work from other shows of the past such as the work from the 88 Strong show.  And a few other smaller one off pieces from other solo projects.
So we'll see how it turns out.
It will run from the February 15 to March 15th.  Maybe a shorter amount time than most shows but it will be long enough for a good show.
For more info on the February show check here for details.



OTHER THAN THAT....
Things have been pretty good and can't complain.  But there was a interesting little bit earlier this week as I found out that a commssion that I had done for Lazy Bones Studios "Anne Frankenstein" not only made it into a new portfolio ( I have the first one) they had just published and it looks like I also got the cover as well.  SWEET!  That is one helluva feather in the artistic cap.
You can check that out here for details.  

Anne Frankenstein Copyright 2014 Lazy Bones Studios

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And that is it for the kid and I am out of here.

Happy 2014

So there sports fans, All here with the latest:
So here I thought that I wasn't really looking to post anything this week for the way Christmas and New Year's kinda fell in the middle of the week so I wasn't expecting any kind of contact with anyone except my roommates.
Well through half of New Year's Day I received an email from the Gallery out in North East Portland. 
They had told me that they had been contacted by my friend Joey from the Slingshot Lounge telling them that I had a. body of work ready to go. 
Of course I got super excited but then realized that I couldn't do it because of the timing between it and the N.W.I.P.A. show in Mid February. 

Copyright 2014 The Re-scrubs

So like that resume being turning in and already been hired I had to turn them down.
Not necessarily a bad thing.  But I would like to get out there.
Any show in my opinion is a good thing. whether or not it's a big show or a little one. 
But in this case it's fine.

COMMISSIONS:  THE RE-SCRUBS are now completed.  Yea!
But again like it always does there is the N.W.I.P.A. Triple I.P.A. fest poster that I have to work on as well.

"Down with the Weirdness" 16"x20" scratchboard
Copyright BBVA and Alan Bennett

ALSO  in the new year I ran into my friend Matt, who is going to work on the t-shirts with BigFoot on them,  recently.  When the money comes in from the commissions I will just roll that over to cover the cost of the t-shirts.  

ALSO IN THE MAKING....
Since last year ended with with successful sales of artwork I had to think and turn around

NWIPA PENCIL DRAWING

NWIAP MARKER DESIGN

Day 1 of N.W.I.P.A POSTER
11"x 14" scratchboard 2014
Copyright NWIPA

to get other work started up so I could keep a decent inventory of artwork alreeady framed and would be ready to show at a drop of a hat.  The Northeast gig at the Know Lounge would have almost perfect except for the timing issue.


ALAN'S SOAP BOX
I am finding it more uncomfortable with places of recent times at the lack of professionalism when it comes to shows.  Not comic book shows- I know there will always be problems with those.  The Pros adn cons of Comicons.
Now this maybe a personal bitch so if you don't wanta read this then skip it otherwise here it comes, the Hammer of the Gods.  No not really, I just wanted to write that because it looked cool on the computer monitor.
No, the biggest problem I have is exactly is the issue with art galleries and their planning.  I am not saying that all have this problem but I do find it troublesome when you the artist are contacted to do a show because they (the place) doesn't have something already to show. 
Now I realize that some of these places aren't set up for art really, more like a lounge than anything else so the thinking is always scrabling to get something up to fill in spaces on a blank wall and if you're lucky becuase the work is good and people like it  you'll get  a cut for selling the work there.
Here is to you business owners- thanks.  To me, that just screams of poor planning and execution and getting screwed at the same time.  
This topic did made me ask a  few questions of an artist friend of mine what they thought of that.
Of course I was also being a bit snarky about it  though when I was askiing the question.

 Friend- "Yeah, one of  those "play it by ear" things.  Places that don't communicate well really annoy me. And there are plenty of places that are bad!"

Me-" God, isn't that the truth" "Isn't there one (gallery) that is ran by someone who knows how to run that side of a bussiness and not be a total fool about it?  Sorry, being snarky about people who have a business and who haven't got a clue how to run something."

Friend- " It really is amazing how many people really don't run a business well.  I guess that is why so many go bankrupt, but... also shockingly how many make it.  "

Now of course  I don't have to go very far to point a finger at myself thinking that I have all the answers.  Far from it, when you are working two jobs with only real day off to work on artwork but if a business is promoting itself  and making money legit then there needs to be some accountably.
Plan in advance, clearly state what is expected of you the participating artist(s) and what is expected of you the gallery/lounge/cafe in promotion and advertising (if any)  AND reasonible times for set up and taking down of work.  In that case I have seen artwork being manhandled like it was goning through a baggage claim service with little or zero intention of care.  Just get it in and down and out.  
In short, again I am not saying that this is true of everybody out there but there seems to be just enough people out there that can hurt an artist's chance of showcasing their work to the best of their ablity because of poor lack of organization.
'Nuff said about this.

And the kid is out of here.

2013 Year in Review OR Did I bite more than I could chew?

Hey there sports fans, Al here with the latest:Well like the title implies Did I take on more than I could do?   I run around thinking about that as I look back on this last year.  But before I can get down with that lets take a look at what I and Black Box Visual Arts was able to accomplish this year.

1) The small scratchboards (5"x7"). 

  These little guys were the work horse of any shows that I had the pleasure to attend this last year.  If I sold one piece of big art I could move 4 or 5 small pieces.  Only issue was making more to make sure I had a stock of at least 30 at any one time.  Of course I do have a ton of scanned copies of but have yet to get postcards made of them.   And I hope to have more of them ready to go this next year.
Lots of one off pieces.

But let's get down to brass tacks

The New Brow show

2)  Gallery Shows for the year:
   The New Brow show
    For the Love of Portland
    Hawthorne Hideaway show
    Monster Mosh
    One Man Show a.k.a. O.M.S.
    I Think therefore I am
   The BIG 400

Crypticon 2013 with George Leon

Chrome Stag for the Love of Portland Show

The BIG 400- 'nuff said!

 

3)  Commissions:

    Re-based Natural V.S. Supernatural
    Frankenstein
    The Sorry Devils. -album cover
    Hops Zombie - t-shirt design
    Ratpriest-  album cover
    Gilradree-  private commission
    Bigfoot- private commission
    The Re-scrubs- album cover

4)  Shows attended:
    E.C.C.C.
   Stumptown Comic Fest
   Crypticon
   Rose City Comicon
  Jet City Comic Show - This was the last comic show to be had but pull out at the last because of the expense of traveling.
Next year might be a different thing.

5)  Completed Comic Stories

Corpse Cop Arctic Wolf

"Dreams of Elysium"  marker compt

   Corpse Cop Arctic Wolf.  This little guy is a done written, drawn and printed up comic.  Also it is one of the first to be offered as a digital download as well.
Corral the Seeker.  The bird man of the Future.  A continuation of Vega through the actions if the sidekick.  A fun story but it brings all I have learned about digital coloring along with black and white and marrying the two of them together.  Awesome.  With a few tweeks to to the story it should be ready for next year.Funny thing is I had been looking over a ton of story and THUMBNAILS for Vega that I would love to see put back into play but again I think I will still put it on hold til Dreams of Elysium is done.  And there may be more than just one version to be printed.  I have started looking at the script and begun marker thumbnails on it so I could see where I need to shore up the weaker parts of the story before I start to apply them to finished pieces of scratchboard.
OTHER THAN THAT....
Things have been pretty good and can't. complain.
I JUST WISH that I could win that lottery or sell a a bunch of art work so that I could I could just work on the comics and get them completed like I would want.  

OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :

If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.

There is also Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbox13 to follow and Tumbler The Other Scratchpad

blackbox13.tumblr.com/   as well 

Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye  check out here on the Big Cartel web site.  Big Cartel.

And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.

And that is it for the kid and I am out of here.