Matt Franklin Blog

Back again with a fresh sketch

2011-03-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is a rough layout sketch of some of my friends Adam Withers and Comfort Love's amazing characters from their self published title: Rainbow In The Dark. Its really an amazingly original story and I really enjoyed every second of it so much that I couldn't help wanting to play around with this idea when it came to me this morning.

You can read the book here: Rainbow in the Dark by Comfort Love and Adam Withers

Enjoy!!

T-shirts!

2010-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

So I am currently in the running for a spot at a major design company here in LA.

I'm hoping that adding a few more major character designs to my portfolio will impress and help me get in. Here is one of them that I rather liked a lot.

It was fun to draw taz again after so long.

2010-01-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

Ok so this is one piece of a T-shirt/ poster design

This is for my client End Times Apparel which is

a great christian clothing company that has been

a real pleasure to work with. Cannon, the owner

has fast become one of my mentors and good friends

out here in California and look forward to many more

projects in the future.

Enjoy!

WAAAAY too long!

2010-01-25T12:35:00.001-08:00

Oh wow has it been way too long on posting here.

I've got a few images to show you guys that I've done recently.

First off is a design I had originally meant for a t-shirt company by the

name of Sick and Twisted Clothing. Sadly, they didn't go for it but there

were still several other jobs in that corner for me. Personally, I still want to

wear this one. Might make a nice tattoo for somebody.

This was a T-shirt that I was commissioned to do for End Times Apparel.

Its still a small, local company but hopefully we'll have the website up and

running here very soon and this bad boy can start circulating fast. Good old JC

Rocking it across both black and white t-shirts. This was a lot of fun.

This bad boy was actually a T-shirt idea that I had while I was in vegas. I

Just started sketching out a scary face and then added another...and another...

and another one till Wham! here it is. Enjoy!

This was a warm up drawing from yesterday that just kept on going

like the energizer bunny across my drawing pad.

This is Kuta which is an original character owned Mr. Sean "cheeks" Galloway.

You can find a link to his blog in my sidebar. Awesome to draw this

guy again. I'm trying a little something different these days. Stepping a way

from cartoony just a little bit more.

2009-06-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

ok so this was my entry for a contest held by

Cheeks. If you're not familiar with his work then check

out my link to his page here on the blog or look him

up on DeviantArt.com because he's awesome. I didn't win

but it was still really awesome to be a part of the whole

contest and do my own little piece for it. I wish that I hadn't

been in the middle of moving because no internet meant that

I found out about this with only a day to spare. So maybe next time

I'll really be able to nock one out of the park. Till then, enjoy.

t-shirt design

2009-05-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is the design for the first run I'm doing of christian t-shirts. The light lines might be taken out but thats for my client to decide. As for the actual image its red and white printed on black shirts. Very simply style but the words should help add a little more to it. Cheers!

Dragon

2009-04-08T00:40:00.001-07:00

Ok so here is a drawing that was actually a lot more fun then I thought it would be. I went in to it just doodling out an idea for a dragon with no wings and just kept going and going till this old man came out. I really liked how the face turned out. I'm going to have to put him into a scene of some kind because he looks too good to just leave in this black and red space. Still not sure what color to make him though.... hmmmmmm

WoW line work

2009-04-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

First up we have a drawing that I really enjoyed. This was a thought

that came to me and just wouldn't go away. I thought it would be

fun to show a young girl troll learning how to cast magics from

an aged master. I wanted to show her youth and innocent nature

and how it had an effect on what she created. I think the bird shows that

as well as the look on her young face while she watches it take shape.

The colors will be a lot of fun. I plan to really challenge myself with lighting

on this one.

Ok so second we have the line work for an orc swordsman.

I actually really liked how he turned out. Hopefully the color

effects I'll be putting in soon will go smoothly.

These are both part of what will be a new portfolio I'm putting together.

I'll be pulling out the best of the old and slapping it in and around the

new stuff. I'm hopeful that this may catch the eyes of a few people at comic Con

this year. Well, just keep your fingers crossed I guess.

Wedding Picture

2009-02-03T14:18:00.001-08:00

Here is the black and white image from a wedding invitation/program picture that did for some good friends of mine. Color to follow swiftly!

Hate The Playah, You Do Not!

2008-09-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

Ok so everybody always draws Yoda looking so old and worn. But I always want to see him back in his prime. I'll bet he had a full head of crazy long hair just like all good swordsman need right? HAHA! anyway, this was my marker drawing today and I hope you enjoy it!

Cheers!

Carnies creep me out!

2008-09-02T22:40:00.001-07:00

When I was a kid I went to several state fairs. Most of them in the country. But I'm sure that every one of them out there has at least one guy with a Giant mustache, a cowboy hat, and tats who probably rides a hog. They were always harmless but they always did creep me out as a boy. So now whenever anybody talks about a "state fair" I always get a vision of the token Carnie selling balloons, candy, or tickets to games where you win cheep junky stuffed animals.

Anyway, cheers and enjoy!

Mr.T and Lucy

2008-08-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Narnia is one of those great stories you can't help wanting to illustrate a part of. This is just a quick drawing I did of Lucy and Tumnis meeting that I felt I should color. Dig it!

Random sketch time!

2008-08-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here is todays random character sketch. I'm going to try and do some kind of random action shot every day. I'm just trying to challenge myself. Hope you enjoy it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

2008-08-26T16:24:00.001-07:00

Why So Serious?!

What a great line. This movie is a perfect example of how a comic movie should be made. Its ok to go a little crazy with it but if you're going to base a comic book in the real world then you have to make it fit. I think this movie was a perfect example of making both the real world work for the fantasy story and the fantasy story work in the real world. Props to all involved and a moment of silence for the loss of such a brilliant actor.

Enjoy!

2008-08-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

So this is half of an image that I am sad to say I won't be able to put together tonight but I thought I would show you this bit for now. These are characters from an original Star Wars RPG that I played every sunday for about three years. It was great fun and to be honest I miss the fun of kicking back and dropping stress off at the door on those days. For now though I hope you'll enjoy a little bit of a shot at some of the characters from that game.

Cheers

-matt

BPRD sketch #1

2008-08-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

So I'm trying to draw more and more things I've never drawn before as well as more interesting comps then just standing around looking LAME. This one isn't quite as dramatic as it probably could be but I liked enough to throw a little color on it for added practice. I hope you'll enjoy!

Catching Up!

2008-08-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

Oh wow its easy to get busy and forget to post! Sorry about that. Hope you like these sketches!

Sketchbook Page

2008-08-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a set of random sketches from my sketchbook. I know they're rough but I like em so I thought they should get some love. Cheers!

Daily Sketch #1

2008-07-31T00:36:00.000-07:00

there was a bit of a clumsy marker sketch of this guy up earlier today but I just had to redo it so here it is! enjoy!

Comic Con... WOW

2008-07-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've been to cons a few times but this... This was THE con of all cons. I totally blew my frickin mind when I walked into this place. There was sooooo much going on and so many great artists and peeps to meet that I almost didn't know which way to go first. I just about pulled a Scooby doo and ran in four directions at once then snapped back and fell over.

The place was packed but that didn't stop the beautiful Koti and I from squeezing through the crowds to get what we came for. I had a chance to get some really good critique and some solid general advice from a few pros who were kind enough to share their time. I also got to see Mr. Jonboy Meyers and stop for a chat. He's a great guy and really sharp with his work. We didn't get a chance to meet up with Sean "Cheeks" Galloway. I did, however, pick up his amazing hardcover sketchbook. Get one yo!

I also said hi to another familiar face. The amazingly talented Ryan Ottley was on the scene with some sweet sketches for sale. I picked up some original pages of Fing Fang Foom sketches and he was generous enough to do a quick sketch in my Invincible 3rd volume hard cover.

After that I got my chance to meet THE MAN. Seriously, meeting Humberto Ramos was like something so amazing you're mind boils out your ears. I was so honored to get a chance to shake hands with the man who has been the biggest influence on me since high school.

I took a picture with him as well as picked up his newest hardcover sketchbook which everyone who loves art should get. He truly was every bit the nice guy Skottie made him out to be.

I also met and shook hands with the equally talented Francisco Herrera. I picked up his sketchbook as well but wasn't able to get back to his booth to get a photo. Like I said, the place was PACKED!!!

Finishing up, I did have a bit of good fortune when I ran into a writer for a web comic of note. He gave me his card and hopefully soon we will be in talks about doing a graphic novel. I can't give details because, well, nothing is really official.

Now its time to start putting all my efforts into getting ready for Wizard World LA in a few months. I plan on having a booth so that I can start to hopefully build up some kind of rep here in town and possibly generate business between then and Comic Con 2009. Wish me luck!

Cheers

-matt

It Starts...

2008-07-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

So here we go folks. This is my first addition to what will hopefully be many daily drawing posts here. I'm sure I'll lag behind from time to time but hell, who doesn't right? right?! Anyway, this is a sketch of Mugen that I did while enjoying a little lunch with my girlfriend a few days back. I really liked how it turned out so I threw a little red marker and some shading on it just to see. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!