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Male Greater Fugamus tend to fight dirty. It might be hard to see at this point but the male furthest from us has got some nasty wounds on his face from this scrap. This is one of many images I plan to have done for an upcoming solo show in November. I’ll be posting details as it gets closer.

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Speaking of which, A.P.E. is getting closer and I’ve begun work on the prints and books I’ll be selling at my table. This year I’ve invested in a better printer so the prints are top-notch! I’m really excited about them. I’m releasing two prints early – from The Morae River. You can read more details about that on The Morae River.com

As you might know I will have “Fish Hooks” on sale as well. It is a book I put together, containing sketches, illustrations and scribbles. I will also have a prints available of a few other pieces from this log as well as Brynnart.com If you’re in the Bay Area or will be during the 16th and 17th, you should come out and see some art, comics and books! A.P.E. is an awesome convention and I’m very excited to be a part of it this year. Come stop by my table (#216) and say hello!

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Two works in progress. The first is a study of the Southern Shore of Tul. It’s still in the “awful looking” stage but hopefully that will change the more I work into it.

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This is a page of studies of a new organism in the works… More on her coming soon.

Lately I’ve been trying to get ready for APE. I’ve put together a sketchbook though Lulu.com. I’ve sent out for the first draft and I’ll be posting pictures of it here on my blog. It will be available at my table as well as online through lulu. Look out for it soon!

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The last couple of days have been hard. I found out that my hometown is on fire. Southern California is notorious for wildfires. My family is ok for the most part but some of them had to be evacuated from their homes. Needless to say I’m a bit tense and wish I could be down there right now to help.

On a lighter note, The Morae River blog is back up and running. I’m glad I was able to perform some updates on it – it had been neglected for so long. There are still some minor glitches but for the most part it seems to be running smoothly. The image above is the most recent species to be added to Tul. I will be posting the full profile soon.

In other news, a former instructor and friend of mine is having a solo show. If you live in the Bay Area you should come out and see some art! Robert Hunt will be showing his landscapes at Periscope Cellars. This collection is stunning so be sure to stop by if you can. Here is a video of him painting if you’re interested.

Lately, I’ve been trying to come to terms with my sketchbook. I’ve never been to proud of my sketchbook, which is why I rarely post anything from it. So in an effort to become a little more comfortable with it, I need to start posting it here.

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Anyway, as you can see my sketchbook isn’t very exciting but I need to keep working in it. I know that if I begin to post it here I will be more obligated to keep it filled with work.

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Something new I’m working on for The Morae River – She’s the large predator that terrorizes Yabun forest. I have other things I need to be working on…

photoshop cs3

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After a good 4 days of looking through forums, sifting through websites, and pulling my hair out, I have finally been able to get Fish Hook Studio back up and running. Of course, I didn’t do this alone. In fact, I was ready to call it quits and just forget about the blog entirely when an old friend showed up and helped me get through what was wrong. An extremely big thank you goes to Josh Blanton for helping me out. I could not have recovered this blog without you! You’ve made my week!

Anyway, in between worrying about this blog, I have been working hard on things here and there for different projects. I’ll be posting more images soon! I was able to complete an image for The Morae River. Of course it’s of a Mardik (there are four different species on the island) they are my favorite genus. However, new creatures are on the way.

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I thought a lot about The Morae River and what I want to do with it. It’s been dragging lately. Not because I’m uninterested, but more because it’s beginning to change. I’m not sure that I want The Morae River to continue to exist on the continent of Orcura. I’m thinking the river might be moved to an island. This geography might be more appropriate to where the world exists in relation to us. I’m also wanting to blur some information and keep a lot of things a mystery. Anyway, it is going to take some thought and some re-designing but I am excited to kind of let it change and tell me what it wants to be.

I’m working on some other things I can’t really mention right now but I will be posting some work in progress of a few things soon.

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This is where I’m stopping with the male greater fugamus for now. I believe he’s done and anymore work will be fine adjustments here and there. I’ve started work on the next depiction of the species which will be two males fighting over territory.

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Here is the other piece I’ve been working on – a female balandic cula. She’s still a work in progress but I like how she’s turning out so far and I’m excited to finally put one in an environment.

I’m currently making a small art book through lulu.com. Its a small collection of sketches, illustrations and designs – most of what you see on this blog will be included. Anyway I’ll be posting a link to it soon for purchase.

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I’m revisiting the Balandic Cula next. I’m working on putting together a large hardcover book to sell at APE this year. Since I’m migrating The Morae River to the computer I thought I’d take the opportunity to revisit the animals and refine their designs a bit. Anyway, I’ll have more to show next week…

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this little guy was my doodle for today. I think he might have been inspired by How to Train Your Dragon…

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Go check it out at: http://www.brynnart.com

I’ve been working recently on improving my drawing in the computer and I have been experimenting with The Morae River in this…This image below is of the updated fugamus.

Because I’ve switched to a digital pencil I am able to work much larger than I was able to before. This drawing here is 16X12 and will make a nice print one day. No to mention the detail is very, very clean. The effect is basically the same, minus the step of scanning it into the computer. While I do still draw with an analogue pencil for myself, I imagine The Morae River and my concept art work will all be digital very soon. I’m finding I make better choices in the computer and I am more willing to push things. I was at first apprehensive of moving into the computer, especially for work pertaining to The Morae River. I’m finding that I had way too much fun drawing this male fugamus out…

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I’ve been working on “A Social Dispute” lately, trying to get it finished. It’s taking more time then I thought it would. Needless to say: comics are hard. I’ve always had a profound respect for the people who produce them but trying them myself has made me really realize the amount of work it takes to produce s sequential story. I’ve had the privilege of working with Matt Silady on this endeavor and he’s been helping me along as I stumble around in this medium. I’m hoping to have the second page up soon.

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Re-visited this drawing with a new take on color. I like him better now. Expect more work up on brynnart.com in the coming weeks as well!

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Working on a new species for The Morae River. I’ve been focusing on humanoids for the last couple of weeks and I needed to get back to this new species. She’s been sitting on my mind now for a while and I’m excited to get started. Yes, this is what the beginning usually looks like (lots of side views, oddly) and while I don’t usually like to post these sorts of sketches, I am really wanting to share more of my process. Hopefully, it will inspire me to create more sketches to push things further.

This particular species is from the Shenzabl Plains, a realm not yet explored or defined as of now. If you’re a follower of the Morae, you might know what family ( and perhaps genus) this species might belong to. I am still trying to decide where she sits in the grander scheme of things – as far as who she’s related to but I’m leaning toward Barduspedids. Which is a newer term not present on The Morae River blog. I’ve been going through my writing, trying to clean things up and so far its proving to be quite the task.

I’ll be moving back to humanoids once this species is posted to the blog. I’m now shifting my focus to culture building for the next few weeks. I’ve had some ideas floating around for the last year or so and I’m beginning to write and sketch them out. This is not related to The Morae River in anyway. As far as I am concerned, there are no indigenous tribes that inhabit Solturna or even Orcura. This particular culture, The Alatu, are completely separate from anything I’ve created thus far. I’ll be posting sketches and writing about them soon.

Anyway, I’m off to do more sketching…

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A six page sequential piece I’ve been working on. The sixth page is excluded. These are the sketches for it. Expect to see the finishes in The Morae River’s online store soon!

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In progress post of the new species of Mardik that will show up on the blog soon!

Here is some info on the species:

“The black mardik is the second largest tree climber in Yabun forest as well as the second largest mardik. These mardiks are social and live in large troops of up to 30 members. The whole of the troop is made up of smaller family troops, each governed by a dominant male and female. Dominance is decided through some intimidation but is mostly carried through bloodlines and offspring. This species is the most numerous species of mardik in Yabun Forest. While each female only has one cub at a time, she can give birth up to 6 times a year. Black mardiks are great mothers and even better babysitters. The entire troop collectively looks after the young that is produced over the year. Because there is so much help with looking after young, breeding females can focus their attention on feeding and having more young.”

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December is finally here and I’m officially finished with college! It seemed like forever and no time at all. I’ll miss seeing everyone in the program all the time. I really did have an amazing time but Im glad to be done with it…

On to other things.

I’ve begun more writing on the Morae River recently. I’m really wanting to dive deeper into families and explore different species and how they are evolving in the area. I’m starting with the mardiks and will be introducing three new species on the blog hopefully later this month. I’ll also be generating family tree graphics for the families I’m exploring. For right now I’m exploring Pernixids – the family that mardiks and balas belong to. Most of the species on the blog now will be getting makeovers and adjustments as I move deeper into Solturna. I’m hoping to generate more plant species as well and start to put them into families as well. Plants seem to get neglected…

The project has become a lot bigger and I’m hoping to shed some light on where Orcura sits in relation to us. Many viewers have been asking about it but I am a bit reluctant to give it all away at once. Either way, Im glad to be working on it again. It really is where my head is most of the day but I did need a small break to think about where I wanted to carry the project.

Expect new dinosaur work on brynnart.com soon as well as some other projects in January.

the photo above is one I took going over the golden gate not too long ago…I’ve only been over it twice in the 4 years I’ve lived in the bay area.

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APE is around the corner and Im getting excited to be around an amazing collection of people this weekend. The Morae River book won’t be ready for APE but It will be here for the show at the end of this month. Its really starting to look finished now and Im excited to hold it in my hands. I will have prints and a few smaller items for sale at my table this weekend. If you like comics and art, I recommend you come out and see whats up. It’s going to be a really great event!

The Morae River exhibition will also be hosting a donation which goes to RiverNetwork.org, an organization that helps restore rivers in America. Im hoping it all works out, I should be receiving all the paperwork soon to make it “official”.

Midterms are almost over but are taking up more time than I’d like. Im ready for this semester to be over…

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It seems as if I have 20 deadlines approaching all at once. The Morae River content for APE is coming along nicely and will be done in time for the convention. Its the book Im most worried about. It should arrive on Monday but That may not be enough time for me to look it over and order 10 more to be here by the time APE happens…heres hoping. The show at CCA will be the easiest part out of all of this. Its just printing, mounting and cutting up foam core boards. Its actually quite relaxing and fun. I am excited to see it all work out. Not to mention I have friends and family coming out to see the show up. I’m excited to see everyone!

Other than that, the semester is picking up pace and turning out to be a very difficult one. At this point I really would rather be drawing but I have to finish this last semester in order to graduate this December – which I’m more than excited about. I have a huge amount of reading to get done every week. Its all very interesting but I do have trouble with vocabulary.

I thought I had gotten off of coffee for good but Im back on it again due to all of this reading and writing I’ve been doing. Green Tea, while better for me, just doesn’t have that zing I need in the morning… pours herself a cup*  Cheers!

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