9

New Focus Feature film "9" has a cool Trailer. I like the textures of the basket weave on one of the characters. Above is a similar concept that I did several years ago.

RAYGUN

I found this inside a nondescript cardboard box in the attic and decided to paint a still life of it.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

CONCEPT ART 02

Digital sketching.. messing with some new custom brushes...

CONCEPT

Digital painted rough.

GOLDEN EYE

Graphite and digital.

HAWKs GO LIVE

The R&D Hawk website has gone live! Link below.

R&D HAWK SITE

RIP

Bettie Page the pinup icon who gained a resurgence partly due to the Dave Stevens Rocketeer comic and film (starring Jennifer Connelly) has died. This pencil sketch was for packaging that would accompany a sculpt of Bettie a few years ago. The product never made got made but it was fun getting a chance to draw THE Bettie Page.

R&D HAWK

In collaboration with Master Bladesmith Daniel Winkler (weapons maker for THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS), I designed a Tomahawk. It took several months of work but it was a rewarding experience working with Mr. Winkler.

SAMPLE PANEL

This is for a yet unannounced work in progress.

PICK UP

This was drawn using Illustrator and my Cintiq.


Btw, my sketchbook is still going strong you can still order copies at AMAZON just click on the link.
ISOLATED INCIDENTS ORDER

" The book spans a range of sci-fi/fantasy and barbarian worlds. If you're into Frazetta, Jeff Jones, Wrightson, Mark Shultz, etc. - then you should appreciate Kayanan's work. I've had this book on my desk for awhile. Sometimes, when I feel a bit of anxiety, I open it and feel better - :)" H. Weisfeld

COMIC BOOK BIN

Leroy Douresseaux of Comic Book Bin reviewed the issue of ROUGH STUFF issue 8.

Here's what he wrote about my section:

"A visualist with an imagination that is as potent as Bosch, Kayanan specializes in creating the ingenious and peculiar imaginary worlds of everything from Conan and Star Wars to Batman’s Gotham City and Marvel Comics’ sci-fi series. This 11-page section is a tour de force of inspired comic book and fantasy art"

Aw shucks dude!

Check out some more art that was not included in the printed magazine at the ROUGH STUFF website

REFERENCE BOOK

I have a "how to" section published in Buddy Scalera's excellent figure reference series titled:
Comic Artist's Photo Reference: Men and Boys (Comic Artists Photo Reference)

Link for ordering the book is on the right hand side.

This is a great source for concept, storyboard, comics, and any project where you might require
looking at an image to springboard your creative ideas.

HEAVY METAL RAF

"The story is a brutal account of gangsters who become infected with a pernicious techno virus." from FANBOY of FEAR and COMICS

Sounds cool right?

The current issue of HEAVY METAL magazine contains digital art that I provided for a short tale titled SLAUGHTER OF THE EXTERMINATORS written by Horatio Weisfeld.

Check out the link above for more info.

"His (Rafael's) impeccable sense of design and knowledge of real world weaponry and combat was also essential for the job." H. Weisfeld

Thanks Horatio - this was a fun project and it is always exciting to collaborate with a fellow creator willing to test new ground.

OLD STUFF

Unfinished page I found on an old hard drive.

LAST HOPE FOR THE GALAXY

Received my comp copy of this HUGE tome from Dark Horse Comics. It was titled Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Last Hope for the Galaxy--From Tatooine to Dark Empire .

800 Freaking pages!!! Printed in hardback and comes with a slipcase cover.
Just a nice looking book.

According to the Dark Horse site, the book includes:
All of the most exciting, most significant stories of Luke Skywalker are here in this breathtaking oversized hardcover.
Never has there been a more magnificent assemblage of Star Wars comics, or a more perfect prize for any Star Wars fan!

What topped it off was the story which anchored the book. It was the issue I illustrated ten years ago with writer Darko Macan.
An aged Luke reminiscing about his old friends with his two droids. It covers the death of Chewie (yeah - I killed Chewie....)

If you ever wanted to read the Star Wars comics featuring young Luke Skywalker, then this is the one to get!

CHOREOGRAPHY SITE UPDATED

Updated SCC site with some new clips and info - check it out at:

SCC DEMOS

DANTE COMPARISON

Unpublished 1989 Dante Classics Cover over a recent version done with slight modifications on the computer.
I added an overall colder color for a more somber atmosphere and to tie the whole painting together.
Also altered the statue on the bottom right corner.
There's some darks on the Dante portrait as well.

More Dante inspired work on the links at the right.

PAINT STUDY

Quick Color Study using P-Shop.

JCoM FIGHT BOARD

Shows a sequence of how John Carter may fight a overly bulky thark.
Click on image to enlarge.

HEAD HUNTER SHIRT

HEADHUNTER SHIRT ORDER LINK

My second PHU shirt design! Pre- Order link is up as well.
If you click on the link for more views there, you can check out the quote on the back as well.

PIPE HITTERS UNION

I have some shirt designs coming out for the Pipe Hitters Union. The first is a limited edition version of a drawing of the famous Spartan helm with the words "Molon Labe" written in the same distressed type face/color on the back of the shirt.

PHU is distinct attitude apparel founded by former members of the Army Special Operations/Delta, Naval Special Warfare, Marines and MMA athletes.

Check out the link and pre- order your shirts today!

SPARTAN SHIRT ORDER HERE

HAWK

Drawn in Illustrator.

SPIDER-MAN MUSICAL

The BEAT has news about the upcoming Spider-Man musical that I worked on. Not saying if any of the details reported from that LJ blog are true, but it seems to have swayed some folks into checking it out when it debuts.

ALTER EGO 80 ON SALE

From an earlier post about the issue of ALTER EGO (August 2008 )that sports my No Sanctuary artwork. Time flies and it is on sale today.

Here's the content description:

ALTER EGO #80 (100 pages, $6.95) spotlights Sword-and-Sorcery in Comics! Awe-inspiring new cover by RAFAEL KAYANAN! Conan the Barbarian was only the tip of the iceberg! Learn about Crom the Barbarian, Viking Prince, La Reina de la Costa Negra, Nightmaster, Kull, Red Sonja, Solomon Kane, Bran Mak Morn, Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser, Beowulf, Warlord, Dagar the Invincible, Wulf the Barbarian, Ironjaw, and more—with rare art by RAFAEL KAYANAN, BARRY SMITH, JOHN BUSCEMA, GIL KANE, JOHN GIUNTA, BERNIE WRIGHTSON, JERRY GRANDENETTI, MIKE PLOOG, FRANK THORNE, FRANK BRUNNER, HOWARD CHAYKIN, TIM CONRAD, FRANK FRAZETTA, JERRY BINGHAM, MIKE GRELL, PABLO MARCOS, NEAL ADAMS, RICARDO VILLAMONTE, JOE KUBERT, JESSE SANTOS, LARRY HAMA, MIKE SEKOWSKY, et al.—plus other comics features, including P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) section with Marc Swayze, C.C. Beck, and others, Michael T. Gilbert and Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, and more! Edited by Roy Thomas.

THIRTY MINUTES

Done in Illustrator and CS3.

NO SANCTUARY ARCHIVAL PRINTS

My NO SANCTUARY prints are available at $120 postpaid (US). It is a signed limited edition print of 1000.
These are printed on thick 17x26 art paper with long lasting archival inks (100 plus years).

JOKER

Excellent film! Only nitpick were the fight scenes and the still awkward cowl but the best Batman film to date!

Did this doodle in ten minutes - using Illustrator and P-shop.

WODD TPB

The Drizzt story I illustrated for Devil's Due is now available.
The link at Amazon is on the right side bar.

ISOLATED INCIDENTS Mention

My old friend Craig Z has several blogs, all very informative and entertaining.
He gave ISOLATED INCIDENTS Volume One a nod on his blog.

CRAIG's BLOG

Thanks Craig!

SEAGULL HUNTING

BOOK TWO

Cover to Book Two. I'll post ordering info when it becomes available.
Same number of pages, different art.

SKETCHBOOK

ORDER HERE

Above is the link to my new sketchbook. It has 88 pages of images and is the first of several volumes in comic book format with perfect binding ala TPBs. The link also takes you to a preview page where you can see how some of the images have enlarged detail shots included in the book.

Enjoy!

Worlds of Dungeons and Dragons TWO!

More Drizzt orc violence and mayhem, with goblins added to boot! Issue two is on sale now with story by Nick Schley and yours truly on pencils/inks with exquisite colors by Lovern Kindzierski.
Adapted from "The Dark Mirror" a R. A. Salvatore short story.

WAY UP IN THE HEAVENS

Posted below are links for two laser engraved Moleskine sketchbooks which feature my images on the cover. The interiors are blank archival paper with the much sought after moleskine covering. Great for doodling, journals and note taking. I use one everyday where ever I go and they look great on a shelf once the pages are full.

I have a limited supply and if they garner enough interest then I'll get more out there.


ANGEL POCKET PLAIN MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK

NO SANCTUARY LARGE MOLESKINE SKETCHBOOK

HEROES CON 2008

Had a great time at HEROES CON, the appeal of the con are the wonderful fans you meet in Charlotte, meeting individuals whose work you admire, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Thanks again to con chief Shelton Drum for putting this altogether. I was his guest way back when we were both still wet behind the ears and it's great to see how much the con has grown in a good way!


This one is a sketch in progress of the Swords Man and Black Knight... I'm somewhat biased but that would be a fun comic!

If you were at the con and had a sketch done, feel free to email me a scan and I'll post it on here:


Courtesy of "TiaLessa" at ScoundrelForums


Courtesy of John H.


Courtesy of Rob L.


Courtesy of Karen M.



Courtesy of Michael D.



Courtesy of Ed W.

ISOLATED INCIDENTS

Isolated Incidents is the title of my art book.
It should be out by late July. Here is one of the images.

I meant to have the art book finished prior to this weekend's HEROESCON in Charlotte, NC but instead will have a couple of my No Sanctuary limited edition archival prints on hand. These are printed on large 17x26 heavy art paper with long lasting inks (100 plus years).
I'll post the online ordering for them next week.

GENE COLAN BENEFIT

Gene Colan was the first artist whom I recall copying as kid and realizing I wanted to draw comics. It was an issue of DAREDEVIL with a great splash page of DD swinging midair with a starkly lit fisheye foreshortened pov that Colan mastered at. Later on, his work with Marv Wolfman on TOMB OF DRACULA was for me the best depiction of the vampire character. I learned more about the way Gene worked in a 1970's Marvel publication titled F.O.O.M., in it they featured Gene's pencils and for the first time I could see how his grey tones and handling of the shadows was truly on another level.

Recently, a call went out from writer Clifford Meth about Gene Colan being quite ill and Cliff organized a tribute auction to assist Gene in defraying some of the bills.

So below is a link to my contribution to the auction. It is paltry to the hundreds of hours I've spent studying and admiring the work of one of the best in the medium. Please check it out and bid if you can. Thanks!

KAYANAN GENE COLAN TRIBUTE AUCTION

More on this in Cliff's Blog

TUROK FILM NEWS

Live action TUROK film is planned with Adam Beach to star!

I had a great time working on this comic with writer Fabian Nicieza. It would be cool to revisit him in this new medium.

ahem, Hollywood ... Who used to draw the TUROK comic , the art for the highly successful video game, plus does film concept art and fight choreography?


TUROK FILM

ILLUMINATE