Andy Who?

Greedo Driver

2011-05-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Teaching myself MangaStudio and needed a sketch for the Summit City Ink crew (starting up a weekly sketch challenge)... so this is the first attempt at using the program. Lots to figure out yet. Look for the finished piece on the Summit City Ink Blog.

Project Projections...

2010-11-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

I have a couple different projects in the works at the moment... another contribution to Angry Gnome Comics' SHORT STACK (collection of 2 page horror stories), I'll be illustrating a 2-page story called, "Winter Garden" and they are letting me do the book's cover as well. Good times, scratches my horror itch.

I have been thumbnailing the bits and pieces for HipHopScotch #1 as well and while it might be unrealistic to think that the issue will be finished for 2010 I am hopeful for early 2011 (for C2E2 perhaps, CGS Supershow at the latest). I am pretty excited about what this book might be. The intention of the book is to serve as a testing ground/laboratory for story telling and art style. I really want it to be as tight as possible design-wise. I also want to add fun things to it like a letters column, fan-art submissions (once I get some fans) and maybe even occasional essays/editorials. Ideally I would love to have 2 issues out a year.

The final project is just in the discussion stages, but I am pretty excited about it. For a while now I have felt that I really needed a web series to keep my work fresh for people to see on a more consistent basis. Don't really want to say anything about it other then it will be a nice balance to the other things I am doing and (I'm hoping) will be a breath of fresh air... more fun, more funny, maybe even silly at times. We'll see. You'll know more when I know more.

I appreciate those who have asked and been interested in what I am doing these days... I am starting to get back into the swing of things... see you at a show soon. YEAH COMICS!

Bay-bay... and a growing curiosity.

2010-11-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

This Friday, Sara and I, are expecting our fourth child... yeah 4. Crazy. We're excited. So pray that all goes well with that, that we are able to survive the munchkin take over and that the other kids will be stoked to welcome this new little one into our family.

On the art front... I am moving forward on a couple projects that have been simmering for a while now and I look forward to showing people some stuff here and there as I get a chance to scan things in and post them. I often wonder what kind of work people expect from me or maybe even hope to see. I just want to do what makes me happy and excited to put brush to bristol but I admit I am curious what people like... just have to continue throwing things at the wall I suppose.

Hope you are all well.

Jewett

Where have you been?

2010-09-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

My art table is calling to me... "Come back to me!" I think I am ready to answer that call, finally.

Question the Answers...

2010-07-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am in a season of uncertainty right now... am I where I am meant to be? Is my life one that is effective?

As a christian (and not always a particularly good one) there are compromises that I have made in my lifestyle, maybe even justified as acceptable by God. Being a part of the Momentum Youth Conference went a long way toward exposing some of these hypocrisies in my life (Nothing like standing in front of 1500+ teens as a part of a worship team).

A lot of that is beginning to change. I feel like a failure in many areas of my life mostly having to do with complacency and laziness... funny thing is I am reminded of a line from Batman Begins, "And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." It's a philosophy that followers of Christ can live by... we're not perfect and our failures are an opportunity to rise again improved, wiser. Not that we should justify sin or abuse grace. In this brief life we're given limited chances to make a difference, to be effective, I want to take advantage of those opportunities rather then squander them as I have previously. The idea that I am a "mist," here today, gone tomorrow is a profound reality.

This might not be a popular line of thought, in fact... I know it isn't. I don't know where I am going, I just know that God is moving and I am hopeful that He will use me in the process. Pray that answers will be clear or at the very least which direction to go would be revealed.

Reading: The Book of Job, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream

UPDATES!!!!

2010-06-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

I'm a web designer by day and it's always a little pathetic how hard it is for me to update my personal site on a regular basis... the whole carpenter with his front porch falling apart syndrome.

So this weekend was update like a madman mode... there is still a fair amount to be done, mostly having to do with contact links/items and updating my "LINKS" page with fresh connections, additions, subtractions, etc.

If you get a free second, check out the site and let me know what you think... I would definitely appreciate the feedback. Thanks!

ANDYJEWETT.COM

COMICS!COMICS!COMICS!

2010-06-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have been having some issues with motivation lately... I want to get more work out there, but life gets in the way. I get tired... by the time I get home from my day job, hang out with the family and get the kids in bed... I'm often beat-up tired and don't feel like doing anything but lay around.

It's a lot like my attempts at losing weight, I want to lose the pounds, eat healthier, live better, whatever... but I'm constantly disgusted with my poor choices. FAILURE, again. It's pathetic unfortunately. Vicious circle.

There's really no excuse, it's all about decisions... "you'll do what you want to do."

Let's make comics.

Father's Day is coming...

2010-06-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Supposedly a day to honor me as a father... and while I appreciate and enjoy the attention, I assure you that I am one of the fortunate ones... not deserving of praise, but thankful for the blessings.

Mummy

2010-06-16T13:28:00.001-07:00

Vintage Packaging

Box Illustration (with rush tones for fun... won't be on the final version)

Vampire

2010-06-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

Vintage Packaging

Box Illustration (with rush tones for fun... won't be on the final version)

Ape Man

2010-06-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Vintage Packaging

Box Illustration (with rush tones for fun... won't be on the final version)

Sometimes I get to doodle at work...

2010-06-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

We are re-popping some "Glo-Head" model kits at work and the first one I got to do some line-art for the packaging... to be used as design element.

Vintage Packaging

Box Illustration (with rush tones for fun... won't be on the final version)

I have no idea, about my ideas...

2010-04-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

Train Rides, Thin Books, A Hopped Fence and More Friends Then I Deserve.

2010-04-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

I got the opportunity to attend the first ever Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) the Saturday of the show... what a great time. Special thanks immediately to my wife, Sara, for letting me go because she knows how important it is to me.

My buddies over at Around Comics have recently called it quits (for now?) on the podcast and C2E2 was an opportunity for us to all gather in one huge room to celebrate the industry that they have been talking about for almost 5 years. I've been listening to AC since episode #1 (proud to say I was their first iTunes review, heh), they provided hours upon hours of entertainment over the years whether I was at work or at the drawing board. The show will be missed for sure. Chris, Sal, Tom, Skottie and all the other rotating panel members that contributed so much over the years, thanks.

CON REPORT (I only got to attend Saturday):
The Day started at 5:30am waking up, dragging on clothes, making sure I had all my books packed (SICKO, In This Corner and Zombie Crisis), picking up my buddy, jamie and heading off to the South Bend Regional Airport to catch the South Shore (train) to Chicago. Since we were only going for the day and there is a stop at McCormick Place we decided to give the train a chance... it was a good decision in my humble opinion. The ride was fine, good conversation with friends (Jamie, Jon, Alex and Ryan), reading comics we had brought with us to be signed, just hanging out.

We took the early train which had us arriving somewhere a little after 9am Chicago-time, so it was no big deal to walk to the line queued up already for the convention doors (show opened at 10am). I thought it was crazy that so many people were already in line waiting for the doors and was under the false impression that we were pretty far back in the line... by the time the doors opened though, there were easily 4 times the amount of people snaked round the huge staging area we were standing in. A quick trip through the doors and up an escalator and we were in.

I've been to my fair share of "big box" shows (my first show was Wizard World Chicago, which I left after only 4 hours with a migraine)... and I was happy immediately just to see all the bright colorful displays and the people milling about so excited about these thin books with pretty pictures we all love so much. I tend to be labeled as being more of an "indie" guy, but I just love sequential art in general so I can definitely see the beauty in a huge space where Batman sits along side of The Incredible Change-Bots. Honestly my first thought was, "what a beautiful space." Most of the shows I've been to that are on this large of scale are in huge warehouse like rooms with nothing but fluorescent lighting, McCormick has huge windows lining the top of the entire space, so you get natural lighting and a great view of the city outside. More then once throughout the day I caught myself just staring out the windows at the visible skyline... a nice change for sure.

First stop on my agenda was the Around Comics booth where eventually a whole host of great comics pals were hanging out. The beautiful part of it was that all the podcasts were right there so it was great to see all the personalities I listen to on a regular basis. There were man-hugs a plenty as friend after friend showed up.

I spent most of my time in Artist Alley chatting up creators and handing out some minis... Artist Alley is my favorite part of any show. I love to get good deals on books and other comic-related goodies but I am far more interested in talking to friends and discovering work I haven't yet experienced. It's where the true "gems" can be found. Especially at a big show like this with a collection of amazing talent from established to up and coming and even fledgling, I would always suggest it is a far better use of your time then digging through quarter bins all day long (just an opinion though).

I DROP NAMES...
I spent a lot of time walking around with the AC and 11 O'Clock boys as well as Zack Kruse, Ben Tiede and Will Pfeifer (and even the talented Mr. Jim Nelson for a bit). Talked to a ton of people and just had a great time. The time I get to spend with these friends is never enough. It was great seeing Pants and Peter (from Comic Geek Speak) in the Windy City as well as Raging Bullets hosts Sean and Jim (sorry I didn't get to say hi to Jim though). Mr. Phil from Indie Spinner Rack was there sans-Charlie and I hope that it is no secret to him that I cherish him as a pal. Also I totally blew it meeting the iFanboy guys once again (fail). There are too many artists to name that I spoke with in Artist Alley, so I am not going to try... I am thankful for all the encouragement and that so many take the time to let me ramble in front of their tables. It was also great to see Mark Beatty (Dark Tower Comics) again, I love talking to him and he has always been kind to me. If I didn't mention you it's because I am dumb, know that I love you just the same.

CLUMSY CONVERSATIONS...
Thanks to Jeff for always being willing to give me a minute or two at the shows, you're a good man... I always worry about blocking people's tables at these things.

I TOOK A NEW STEP...
Liz at Quimbys/Chicago Comics was kind enough to take some of my books on consignment and I felt like I had turned a corner in some ways. I realize, I may not sell a single copy there, but I'm thrilled to have them sitting on their shelves as opposed to just in my basement.

BEANS, TUXEDOS AND A LACK OF PANIC...
My buddies, VInce (Beanish), David(Grendel) and Jason(Hitchhiker's Don't Panic Character) all got ink done at the show (tattoo artists set up at a comic show, brilliant)... it was really cool to be there while David was getting tagged. It was certainly tempting, but a lack of funds settled it... what a great memory builder though. I am now even more anxious to get more work done soon... I have plans. so many plans.

OUIJA BOARD INSPIRED GOODNESS...
My great find at the show was "The Complete Ouija Interviews" by Sarah Becan, it's a fascinating look at some sessions she and her brothers had with a Ouija board while staying in Nantucket, well worth your time and money... and Sarah is just a great ambassador for comics, she's doing interesting things sequentially... don't miss out. She also has a pretty rad food journal called, "SAUCEOME," that you should check out!

ROCK AND ROLL DRIVES A BUS...
At the end of the day, Jamie, Jon and I hopped on the shuttle to Reggies (old school bus painted with skulls and various other goodness) for some dinner and the Hero Initiative after party. Got to ride with Jim Demonakos which was cool, seems like a nice guy, I only hear good about Emerald City and Kirby Krackle is a lot of fun.

We ended up having a great burger at Reggies and getting to see Joe Quesada rock out with Kirby Krackle... it was entertaining, fun music for sure. Sadly, we had to leave before the Fuglees took the stage in order to make it to our train on time.

YOU WANT ME TO HOP OVER A FENCE?
We got a cab and asked the driver to take us back to McCormick so that we could catch the 9:24pm train back to South Bend... he was a very nice man that I personally had a hard time understanding. Jamie, thankfully handled most of the interaction and we ended up at the 18th street stop. The problem was that it was a long-ish walk up a concrete ramp and down some stairs to the "stop." We were already cutting it pretty close on time and started to look around the stop and realized that there was no button to alert the conductor to us at that stop. we looked around and saw that the McCormick Place was with in eye-shot... the only issue being that we would either have to walk all the way back up the stairs and the winding ramp to come all the way back around OR we could just walk across the tracks and hop a fence. Thankfully no one was hurt in our little adventure, we got over the fence and headed toward the McCormick Place entrance.

It quickly became apparent that we were under the center and had gone in through the deliveries-type entrance so I was definitely starting to have my doubts that we were going to make the train on time. we walked for what seemed like forever as the clock continued to tick away the minutes. When we finally got to an area where we could see inside the building, we noticed comic fans still trickling out here and there but the doors were locked and pounding on the doors yielded no results at first. We kept walking and were finally able to get some attention from some folks that let us in and we were able to find our way back to the correct platform literally seconds before our train arrived. There was one more train going back to South Bend after that but we were thrilled not to have to wait around for it.

COOKIN'...
The ride back was pretty cool actually, because of the Cubs game the whole train was pretty well packed... which meant the 3 of us couldn't sit together. I ended up sitting next to chef named, Chris who was on his way to Gary, IN to visit with friends after work. It was a fun conversation about his job, food in general (I know right? me talking about food, whodathunkit), and the woes of being a Cubs/Bears fan. It's amazing how many cool people drift in and out of our lives on a day to day basis, folks who lead interesting lives that we may never talk to unless a bunch of baseball fans force us into a seat together on a late night train. After Chris' stop in Gary I had the seat to myself and read Sara Becan's book and started reading Liz Mason's zine, Caboose (all about her health issues/woes and recreational activities). The ride was uneventful and for the most part very pleasant.

THE PARTY'S OVER...
We arrived at the airport, climbed into my car and drove home... dropped jamie off and pulled into my garage, a great day come to an end. I am so thankful to comics for the friends that they afford me. I would have never met most (if not all) of you with out these "silly little kid books." Thank God for comics... I look forward to seeing you all again as soon as possible.

Summit City Comic Con anyone?

PS. if you read all this, I apologize.

The PKD Black Box Interview

2010-03-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Shawn Pryor, from PKD Media, interviewed me on his show, The PKD Black Box. We talk about my mini-comic, SICKO, influences, cartoons and just life in general. Give it a listen when you get a second!

SICKO gets some chatter...

2010-02-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

I have been remise in mentioning some of the great reviews and kind words that my meager efforts with SICKO have received... it's humbling and certainly appreciated. I am encouraged that at least a few poor souls want to see more from me... YEAH COMICS!

PODCASTS
11 O'Clock Comics #76
Around Comics #258
PKD Black Box #2
Teenage Wasteland Episode #63

REVIEWS
Wicked Cool Comics

Stuff to do... tick tick tick

2010-02-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

My life as a Columnist...

2010-02-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

Was talking to my friend, Arlene about columns while checking out one of her new writers at Wicked Cool Comics.

I was reminded that I had a column once upon a time as well, WORD... by Andy Jewett. It was a fun column, mostly a mixed bag (editorial, diy, reviews and interviews). I wonder if anyone ever actually read it... I seem to remember a couple comments on articles here and there. It was a bit sad when the site that ran the column decided to call it quits, but then again, I was never very timely with my posts (sort of like this blog *cough*).

So, for about two seconds I was a "writer." The End. You can stop reading now... sorry.

Pre-Order SICKO at DCBS!

2009-11-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

SICKO is up for pre-order at DCBS (Product code: NOV099001) Love to have you check it out! Thanks!

SICKO I AM HOPING FOR A RE-ARRIVAL OF MY HEALTH

Have you ever felt helpless, like your life was going in a direction you couldn't control? Have you ever been faced with the realities of death and separation from the ones you love? SICKO is an account of a strange journey into uncertainty, sickness and the thoughts, questions and feelings that can be experienced along the way. Life can throw lemons, what do you make of them? 28 pages, B&W, Auto-Bio, Slice of Life

October 12th - Lock, Shock & Barrel (Nightmare Before Christmas)

2009-10-24T12:07:00.002-07:00

October 11th - Kobra Kai (Karate Kid)

2009-10-24T12:07:00.001-07:00

October 10th - Creature from the Black Lagoon

2009-10-24T12:06:00.001-07:00

October 9th - Michael Myers

2009-10-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

October 8th - Troll2

2009-10-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

October 7th - Beetlejuice

2009-10-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

October 6th - Cthulhu

2009-10-06T21:28:00.001-07:00

October 5th - Re-Animator

2009-10-06T21:27:00.001-07:00

October 4th - Wicker Man (1973)

2009-10-06T21:26:00.001-07:00

October 3rd - Young Frankenstein

2009-10-06T21:24:00.001-07:00

October 2nd - Crypt Keeper

2009-10-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

October 1st - Jason Voorhees

2009-10-02T04:52:00.000-07:00

Boo! Tricks & Treats

2009-10-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday of the year, so in celebration of all things creepy, crawly, dark, scary and mysterious... I'm going to do a sketch a day for the month of October. A personal challenge.

"Why should I care?" you ask... well you don't have to care at all, but it would make the exercise more fun if I have suggestions for subject matter. I'm not trying to get people to buy commissions or anything like that, I just want suggestions on what to draw this month. Maybe you have a character that you'd like to see me sketch from a favorite horror comic, book or movie. Classics to modern... whatever, basically (disclaimer: I don't do nudity or explicit sexual themes).

I can certainly come up with the ideas on my own if needs be, but it would be more fun to have suggestions and you may think of something that I don't. Obviously there can only be 31 sketches/panels so if there is an outpouring of suggestions they may not all be chosen (I want to keep this fun for me). Maybe I collect the sketches into a mini, maybe not... regardless, any participation is certainly appreciated.

How do you celebrate October/Halloween? Any traditions, stories, anecdotes, etc.?

Thanks!
Jewett

Jack Skellington/Zero/Oogie Boogie - suggested by Adam Besenyodi
Crypt Keeper - suggested by JimN
London After Midnight - suggested by Matt H.O.W.L.
Nosferatu - suggested by Matt H.O.W.L.
Re-Animator - suggested by Wicked Cool Comics
Creature from the Black Lagoon - suggested by Atomic99
Vampirella - suggested by Zach Kruse
Zombie Muppets - suggested by Just Bill
Scooby Gang - suggested by Just Bill
Stan Winston's Pumpkinhead - suggested by Farrell
Ash - suggested by Farrell
Lock, Shock and Barrel - suggested by neenjah
Bride and Frankenstein's Monster - suggested by Torchsong
Rune - suggested by Just Bill
Prophecy: The Monster Movie - suggested by Farrell
Young Frankenstein - suggested by Truxillogical
BeetleJuice - suggested by Truxillogical
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as interpreted through Monty Python's "I'm a lumberjack" sketch - suggested by Jeffrey Brown
Cannibal Butcher - suggested by MRohacs
Anton Arcane - suggested by JBear
Cthulhu - suggested by El Dave
The Shape (Michael Myers) - suggested by ljacone
Kobra-Kai (in skeleton costumes) - suggested by Aaron Renier
Troll 2 - suggested by Liz Prince
Man-Thing in a cheap Spidey-Costume - suggested by Zack Kruse
The Worst Witch - suggested by My Sister
Friday The 13th - suggested by Jacob
The Tallman (Phantasm) - suggested by Jon Kulczar

The Windy City Comicon is almost here!

2009-09-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

FROM THE WCCC SITE...

The 2009 Windy City Comicon features dozens of guests, gaming, comic vendors and more. Don't miss out on Chicago's best comic book convention!

We've lined up an incredible array of local area comic book writers, artists and creators. Our guest list includes the likes of Gene Ha, Tony Moore, Skottie Young, Mike Norton, Tim Seeley, David Petersen, Richard Starkings, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Tony Akins, Don Kramer, B. Clay Moore, Seth Peck, Cullen Bunn, Sean McKeever, Christopher Mitten, Chris Samnee, Hilary Barta, Jeffrey Brown and more. With others being annouced every day! Check out our complete list of guests here.

I am one of those guests... and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone there, last year's show was fantastic and this year promises to be even better with an amazing 85 guest creators in the building!

It is also going to be the joint where I debut my newest mini-comic SICKO:I'm Hoping For A Re-Arrival Of My Health. I have been working hard on it for the last month and feel really great about the fact that I have it finished and that it will be on the table at the show (barring a printing mishap, fingers crossed). I said I was going to do it and I did it... nuff said. You can see the cover/backcover below (though it will be on a colored paper stock), Jeffrey Brown was kind enough to give me a blurb for the back cover and David A. Price has the forward. If you'll be at the show stop by my table and say hello!

Guest strip on Subculture...

2009-08-30T14:50:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to do a guest strip for Kevin Freeman and Stan Yan's comic Subculture, check it out! I really enjoyed doind it and if you haven't read the rest of the strip you really should , it's a great look at comic culture, fans and just relationships in general.

Thanks for looking!

2 panels from SICKO.

2009-08-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

SICKO Mini-Comic Roughs

2009-08-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Chicago Comicon... Come and Gone

2009-08-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, as usual my time at this convention went way too fast... I have a huge soft spot for this show due to the fact that it was my first convention experience.

There was a fair amount of negative talk about this show before it even began, considering that Marvel and DC didn't have a presence at the show I suppose it is somewhat understandable that many would be concerned about what the quality of the show would be... this has always been a big box show and that would normally mean the "big 2" would be present. In the end it actually was a great thing that they weren't, it seemed to push many people into Artist Alley that might not have otherwise given that area a chance.

Thursday (Preview Night)
I took Thursday off spending the day hanging out with my kids and packing my car (I actually cleaned it out for the trip and everything, heh). I left the house around 12:30pm Indiana time, the drive was tolerable with no real traffic till about the last 5 miles where it became stop and go. Called Mr. Matt Kramer as I was getting into Rosemont and he directed me to the parking lot... got checked in and the weekend officially began. Dave and I walked down to the convention center to grab our badges (which they didn't have... badges, we don't need no stinking badges) and head to the table to setup. It was a fairly slow beginning but it was still a great time getting into the groove of the show, Pat's flight was late but he made it in before it ended. I already had a few commissions to do.

At the end of the show, there was a need for vittles, so Dave and I decided to take the easy road and just hang out in the Red Bar which was convenient but expensive. It was a great night of hanging out with new and old friends, we also got "hit on" by a bunch of drunk kindergarten teachers which was amusing and frightening at the same time.

Trying to be quiet at 2:30am while setting up an air mattress is comical.

Friday
Vince arrived and was instantly whisked away by Mr. Neseman to breakfast, while we had bagels and beverages in teh hotel cafe. Friday was a crazy day, surprisingly busy... lots of commissions and I actually sold a few books. Lots of great people stopped by the table to say hi. The table was in a fairly odd location sort of shoved in the back and all the way at the end... there were alot of empty tables nearby which tends to discourage traffic... but somehow we still were able to get a fair amount of business.

When it was time to figure out dinner we (Dave, Pat and I) ended up heading out with Brian Defferding and his girlfriend and friend to Ginos East... it was a fun dinner with great conversation and awesome food. Afterwards it was back to the Red Bar for more hanging out.

Saturday
Saturday was a really busy day for me, alot of commissions and sketches, more books sold and plenty of laughs and just fun discussion in general. I got to do a sketch in Jeffrey Brown's X-men sketch book which was a bit nerve-wrecking but I think it turned out alright and he seemed happy with it. By the end of the day I was expecting my eyes to fall out of the socket from all the drawing... I still had 3 commissions to do for Sunday and wasn't too sure how I was going to make it... but that was a worry for the next day.

Dave and I went out to dinner at Maria's (a fine authentic mexican restaurant) with Steve Bryant and about 10 other people... there was a lot of great conversation about the industry and comics making in general... very enlightening and it was just fun to meet so many new people in one setting. Then it was off to the Red Bar for the last night of hanging out... some of the selebs in the bar were: Edward james Almos, Billy Dee Williams, Kevin Nash, X-Pac and several comic professionals of course (this was true all three nights). Met a couple new folks and hung out with old friends as well.

Sunday (this is the end)
I was in near panic mode trying to get my commissions done in time... at one point I was literaly running around the show floor looking for presents for my kids... I got Lucy a really cute panda beanie and Jack a set of Justice League Unlimited action figures (12 inch Batman and Superman). Then it was back to the commissions, which i actually did end up finishing, we tore down and it was time to say goodbye... thankfully Nick and pat helped me and Dave get our gear out to our cars in the hotel parking lot. Then it was hug time and farwells all around. I had a fairly uneventful drive home (enjoying chewy sprees on the way). It was great to pull into our driveway and kiss my wife while catching up with her about each other's weekends.

All in all Chicago Comicon was a success... my first profitable year in Rosemont actually. It was great to hang out with friends who share my love of comics and it was fun to meet tons of new folks. Hopefully the show will still be doing well next year. See you there?

PS. I took Monday off which was about the smartest thing I could have done... Sara and I had a good day hanging out with the kids and each other. We watched Twilight (meh).

Commission for Chicago Comicon...

2009-08-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

Computo!

3 days and counting...

2009-08-03T09:56:00.001-07:00

I am really looking forward to hanging out with old friends and meeting new folks this year at the Chicago Comicon. If you are attending the show be sure to stop by tables 5304-5306 to visit me and the rest of the Dial R Studios representatives. I hope to be sketching all weekend... or at least getting some work done if no one orders sketches. Regardless it's gonna be a great time hanging out!

Chicago Comicon is next week...

2009-07-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Whimper... (Tables 5304-5306)

Never let it drop...

2009-07-29T08:57:00.001-07:00

I have always had a fair amount of hobbies... sadly they all seem to be of the expensive variety (guitars, tech equipment for both music and art). I have to actually stop myself from trying some things because I am certain I would enjoy them which would translate to less time and more money going towards another hobby.

Over the last couple of years I have really tried to weed out the extras and concentrate more on the worthwhile. I made the decision to abandon music almost entirely and concentrate on cartooning (though I am now back to playing alot more again). I know it's been said, but there are seriously not enough hours in a day, but honestly even if there were more I would probably still be longing for more time to do the things I want to do. Music and Art are the biggies but reading is a pass time I adore (I am constantly frustrating my wife with the amount of books lying around our house... piles of comics and novels). Somehow I have to find a way to juggle it all and this is not even considering the truly important things like Family and Work.

Life is about compromises and sacrifices... I just need to be more organized. Though, truthfully, I think there may be little hope of that.

Mc Disease

2009-07-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have no idea why I am so fat... *cough*

WHAT?!

2009-07-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have been letting my hair grow out again... and the white hairs are taking over. So lame.

Anyways... if you are going to be in the Chicagoland area (Rosemont specifically) come out and see me and the other Dial R guys(Pat Loika, Dave Wachter and Adam Witt) in Artist Alley (tables 5304 and 5306), August 6-9 at the Chicago Comicon (Formerly Wizard World Chicago). It's coming up really fast but I am certainly looking forward to seeing some folks that I really only get to see once a year. If you are going to the show and want to get a commission from me, now's as good a time as any. See you soon!

STUPEFY!

2009-07-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

For my birthday we are going to see Harry Potter: Half-Blood Prince tomorrow night... I have pretty low expectations for the movie, so I am hoping that will help me to end up liking it in the end. I am a huge fan of the books so the movies tend to frustrate me quite a bit... I totally get the need to edit for the movies but it seems like they often omit things that were integral to the plot in the books. I wasn't thrilled with how certain characters that meant so much in the books seemed greatly diminished in the movies as well... I could go on and on... but I won't.

Here's hoping I get to walk out some what satisfied.

Happy Birthday to me... I guess.

2009-07-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

COMISSIONS!!!

2009-07-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am currently taking commissions, help feed my children...

OPTIONS:
9x12 Head sketch (head and shoulders) - inks/tones ...$10
9x12 Character sketch (full body pose) - inks/tones ...$25 ($10 each additional character)
11x17 Commission - inks/tones ...$75 ($25 each additional character)
19x24 Commission - inks/tones ...email: apjewett@hotmail.com

SHIPPING:
Email me at apjewett@hotmail.com for shipping costs, if you want the piece sent to you.

PAYMENT:
Paypal ...apjewett@hotmail.com
Mail ...Money Order
Pickup at Show ...Cash

SHOWS I AM ATTENDING IN 2009:
Chicago Comic-Con (Wizard World Chicago)
Windy-City Comicon
there could be more... you never know.

A picture is worth a thousand...

2009-07-21T10:33:00.001-07:00

just one of those days.

New Digs... again (Version 9)

2009-07-20T09:43:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to updating my site... it has been largely ignored for the better part of a year and in desperate need of attention. There is still a lot of tweaking that needs to be done... copy that needs to be written, content that needs to be added to, the overall design massaged a bit and the homepage graphic needs to be something specifically drawn for the site. BUT... it's a good start and the site is far more editable then it was. Check it out if you get a sec and let me know what you think.

Full disclosure: the design is inspired by Adrian Tomine's site... just love the simplicity.

Morning Commute Shuffle...

2009-07-14T07:27:00.000-07:00

Via Chicago - Wilco

Winterlight - Autumn Defense

Time Will Crawl - David Bowie

Sound and Vision (Remix Version) - David Bowie

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - David Bowie

Stumbeliene - Smashing Pumpkins

The Talk That I Have Wanted (Version 2) - God's Lonely Man

No Line on the Horizon - U2

Renedevous - The Honour Recital

Stop it already...

2009-07-13T05:57:00.001-07:00

Jack turns 3 today and I find myself wanting to scream, "alright already, enough with the growing up... just stop!" I love my kids, and I want them to always know that without a shadow of doubt. We had a great time with family last night as Jack opened many wonderful presents (lots of tractors... it was a John Deere themed party). It was a nice ending to a terrific Sunday... but seriously, my kids need to stop getting older.

Happy birthday, Buzz.

Medical Adventures...

2009-05-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have been through a fair amount in the last few weeks... I have met with 4 doctors, been through several tests and Sara and I have been dealing with a lot of stress due to "not knowing." My last appointment with the hematologist/oncologist yielded good news that all my chemistry numbers seemed to be normal or returning to normal. I have to revisit them in a month to undergo the same blood tests again to make sure that the numbers remain as they should be.

It's strange to think that we may never know what caused all this (likely we won't)... but through the whole thing I have had so many praying for me that I certainly thank God for this happy outcome. God is called the great physician and I can't help but wonder if he operated on me according to the prayers of righteous individuals that were petitioning Him on my behalf.

I am feeling well, though still a bit tired... and as my doctor has told me, "you have the summer to get rid of that chubbiness." Thank you to those who encouraged and prayed for us during this strange time.

Fevers, Pharmaceuticals and an Ambulance Ride...

2009-04-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

So basically, I have had a fever for the last 6 days... roller coaster sorta thing, anywhere from 99-102.3º. I was basically taking ibuprofen and tylenol in tandem trying to get rid of the fever... didn't have any other symptoms really just an annoyingly high fever. Monday morning at about 2am I woke up covered in hives, itchy, nasty, annoying hives. I popped a couple benadryl, hives went away basically so I went back to bed.

Went to work and wasn't feeling great but didn't want to miss any more work so I popped some ibuprofen and tried to "suck it up" an hour/or so later the hives were back with a vengeance and I was sweating profusely... I informed a couple co-workers that I was going to Urgent Care to get this looked at and taken care of, once and for all. The doctor at urgent care looked me over, ordered a chest xray, gave me a strong antibiotic and a drug called Xyzal (basically an allergy medicine for people who suffer from chronic hives). I was to stay home from work until Wednesday (today).

I left urgent care and noticed that my upper lip felt strange... got in the car looked in my rearview mirror and my upper lip was about three times bigger then normal, looked like a collagen implant gone horribly wrong. I drove to the pharmacy picked up my scripts and headed home.

Sara and I both started to wonder if I was having some sort of reaction to the tylenol because we had introduced it into the mix late and I take ibuprofen for headaches all the time... so I decided to stop all medication other then what the doctor had given me. It felt like I was back to square one after taking the first round of antibiotics, my fever was back up to over 102º and I was pretty miserable.

Slept most of the morning, still with the fever and now with a whopper of a headache... Sara and I discussed it and we were both convinced that tylenol was the problem so at about 1:15pm I took 3 tablets of ibuprofen... and was quickly feeling relief from my headache. At about 2:30pm Sara was taking a shower to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for herself... I was sitting up in bed reading (trying to do something besides lay down), when I noticed my bottom lip was starting to feel strange, tingly maybe even a little numb. I got up to check it out in the mirror and was shocked at the state I was in. If you have ever seen the movie Hitch, then you'll remember the scene where he has the allergic reaction to shellfish and his face is puffed up and deformed looking... that is a pretty accurate description of what I looked like (though we didn't get to have the cute romantic-comedy scene in a drugstore chugging benadryl). My eyes were swelling shut, my bottom lip was 3 times too big and my entire face and neck were covered with raised, angry looking hives... sort of Quasimodo-ish. I called urgent care and they told me to stop medication and go to the emergency room immediately... after we called my mom to sit with the two older kiddos (who were down for a nap thankfully) we took off for the ER.

The traffic on Lincolnway was packed, which is pretty normal for around 3pm when we were heading out. I was starting to feel a bit light-headed and my hands were beginning to go numb. We weren't even halfway to the hospital when we decided it would be a good idea to call 911 to at least let them know that we were on our way. Dispatch told us to pull over that they would come to us, turns out that was a good decision... I was starting to fear black out. The paramedics arrived and started an IV with benadryl and I would say within 15 minutes my throat was starting to open up a bit, enough that I could get some relief. It might sound strange but just the fact that the paramedics were there gave me some peace and helped to calm me a bit. I was able to walk to the ambulance when it arrived and they took me off to Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center (where Rosie was born 3 weeks prior). They were monitoring my vitals all the way and were encouraged by the improvement, but also assured me that calling 911 was the right decision nonetheless.

By the time we got to the hospital my hives on my face were mostly gone, my eyes were still a bit swollen and my lip, tongue and throat were still swollen... I was breathing easier but was only registering about 75% oxygen intake so they put me on oxygen, hooked me up to an EKG and all the other wires and contraptions that you see in medical dramas. They ended up dumping a fair amount of medication into my IV and I took a claritin... then they basically watched me for about an hour or so gave me 4 new prescriptions and an epiPen kit. All in all a very strange experience.

In the end it turns out that I am most likely allergic to ibuprofen, we were able to pinpoint that about and hour or two before every attack I had taken a dosage of ibuprofen and nothing else (I had been documenting my temps and meds about every hour by that time). Apparently it is a fairly common thing to be allergic to. I have to carry the epiPen around with me for the next 2 month in case I have another attack. Otherwise my fever has been gone for almost 20 hours now so I am hopeful that the antibiotic is working there and the rest of my meds will get rid of the ill effects of the ibuposion in my system over the next couple weeks.

Closest I have ever felt to "this is it," it's fitting that at church we have been talking about the end times, really makes you think about how ready you are for the end. I kept thinking about my wife and kids and how horrible it would be to leave them without a husband and father but I had a peace too that God was in control and that if it was my time I was ready to meet Him. I'm thankful that it was not my time and that I get to hang out with my wife and kids a bit more. I'm also thankful for all the concern and well wishes I have received already... the Lord has given us amazing friends that have proven themselves over and over and I couldn't be more grateful for those relationships. So all is well, thanks for reading this. Have a great week.

Keep on Trekkin'

2009-04-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

A Fantastic Anthology I contributed to...

2009-03-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

SIDE B IS COMING!!!!
Pre-order code: APR090973
On pre-order: Wednesday, April 1st
Where can I order: Their local comic book shop
Find your local shop: Comic Shop Locator
Learn more: Official Side B Page

Fender Billy Corgan Stratocaster...

2009-03-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Fender Artist Series guitars are named for guitar legends and built to their specs. The Billy Corgan Stratocaster joins the list of esteemed artists-designed instruments on that roster. This Signature model was made to Corgan's exact specs to create his famous mid-'90s buzzsaw tone. This electric guitar features 1 special design Dimarzio Billy Corgan single-spaced humbucking pickup (neck), 1 Dimarzio Chopper pickup (middle), and 1 special design Dimarzio Billy Corgan single-spaced humbucking pickup (Bridge) to produce all the distinctive tones used by Corgan. Other unique attributes featured on this model include a maple fingerboard with a 9.5" radius, American Strat strings-through-body hard tail bridge with stainless steel saddles, original body shape with "original contour body" decal on headstock, white plastic parts, a large 70s style headstock shape with large headstock logo, and a satin nitrocellulose lacquer body finish. Comes with a vintage tweed case.

Fat Tub O'Goo...

2009-03-19T05:57:00.001-07:00

I have been working out again in the mornings, I am definitely tired of being the overweight... my wife and kids deserve better then I am able to give them in my current condition. I want to run with them, play with them... be more then just a cheerleader, I want to be a participant. Praying for the strength to continue...

I dare you to read this book...

2009-03-11T05:37:00.000-07:00

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Visit the website for more info.

Knowing a Man's Heart!

2009-02-26T07:27:00.000-08:00

Just another quickie sketch...

2009-02-24T09:54:00.001-08:00

Roslyn Denise Jewett

2009-02-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

How I feel this morning...

2009-02-13T05:44:00.000-08:00

Look at those wheels spinning...

2009-02-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

Ever get that feeling that you are running as hard as you can but the landscape isn't changing? The reality is that I have more then likely fooled myself into believing that I am running at all... I'm probably just looking for a justification that will make me feel better about standing still.

This sums it up...

2009-02-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

Blogging? Again? Really?

2009-02-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling the need to blog/journal again lately... the need to put my thoughts down somewhere, for myself... if for no one else. Sometimes it is good to empty your thoughts into a journal, helps to un-clutter the mind a bit.

If I am able to keep up with this thing at all you can expect ramblings, sketches, musing and project updates... and probably the occasional annoying (to others that is) proud father moments complete with photos.

Life is good.