Some New Art-ing

 "Clarity"

Pencil/Watercolor

Mike D. burke

"Eros"

Pencil/Ink/Watercolor

Mike D.Burke

Finding the time

Lately I've been finding a better way to use my time wisely. Since my mind is always so concentrated on so many different projects at a time it helps me now that I carry around this little grey notebook. I've been able to draw, write and read more efficiently. It's like finally my brain always has a place to put the ideas that flee across it in the passing hours. Because usually my mind is bouncing so much between all the thinks I want to do I often lose track of what it was I was thinking at from one moment to the next. 

I've been able to write down the scenes I'm thinking about for my novel every time I think of them. In able to sketch out quick ideas for my comic or for my random illustrations. It's great! Try it out. 

Spot Illustration

Here is a spot illustration for my upcoming graphic novel. In a later post I shall describe the process I took in creating this and most of my pieces along with pictures. 

Quickie

Blogging here quickly at my day job. Looking forward to working more toward my goals with my portfolio. I'm finally starting to notice that with perspective I'm picking up tricks if the trade more. Perspective was and still is my hardest thing to work at. But as they say practice, practice, practice. Last time I was in front of editors I was told to work on backgrounds and anatomy so that is what I've been doing non stop!! October ho!!

Ways to save that beautiful GREEN CAKE

Looking for a little extra ways to save some cash my friends and fellow humans (and non-humans as well, I know that there are a few Vampires and occassionally some Angels who read my humble blog)? Well I've got a nice list here for you to try out, I myself am trying out a few of these, becasue like, why not? Right?! I have compiled this list of ideas from about 5 different articles I've read online, so have at you I say!!

1. Collect Cans (Recylce you fools! Or give them to me!)

2. Take a part time job (Yeah you lazy bunch of homeless monkeys! Including myself.)

3. Walk dogs or pet sit (I've tried but no one seems to trust me...or something?)

4. Have a yard sale (Yeah mom! Let me have a yard sale at your house! I'm not allowed here, where I dwell...)

5. Clip Coupons (This I have begun doing, I am now, crazy coupon guy!)

6. Do online surveys (Make sure the sites are ligit though! Once I got talked into taking a lama as payment...I rent him out to zoos)

7. Pawn Stuff (I do this all the time...sometimes on stuff I still want to keep...sometimes.)

8. Donate Plasma (I have not a clue what this means...)

9. Collect and Sell Ink Cartridges (Drop 'em off at Staples for cash!)

10. Wash/Detail Cars (You can do this for cash? My pop made me do it for free...shifty father.)

11. Sell stuff at a consignment shop (My mother does this all the time...all the time!)

12. Cash out rewards points (Subway card here I come!)

13. Become a mystery shopper (Shopping is fun. Shopping while getting paid to do so is better.)

14. Open a bank account (Some banks give out free cash to open a special account. Hell, open a couple accounts!)

15. Ask for a raise (Hell, who knows? They might give it to you!)

16. Deliver Newspapers (Tried this once with a Mr. T. Cobb...I lost a bunch. Old ladies were angry...just saying.)

Any questions, comments or concerns hit up the comments! All we can do is try right?!

Sometimes ya just....yeah?

I tell ya what folks, being self-employed is tough, tought when you have zero customers which means zero profit. Thus is what I am suffering from, I still work diligently at my comic "Masters of Fiction!" everyday now but ya know, it doesn't pay the bills yet. I'm looking for Illustration work or Writing work and it's really tough to find here in Utica, "The city, trying to be a city.." that's my quote, yup.

But you know what I mean if you live here, there's no real market for creative people here that I can find (if there is and I'm missing it, please someone give me a call) except for stuff that I just really don't have much interest in. Teaching art is great and noble and everything but I'm just not into it, I want to create things for clients and myself and make my dues that way.

I'm going to dabble in advertising and marketing for places maybe a little bit, I'm trying to anyways. Oh and I've found some great books for you guys to read most def for Illustrators and Writers; there's Everything you need to know to be a Freelance Illustrator and Guerrilla Marketing both available at Barnes and Noble, the first is in the Art section and the second is in Writing Reference.Also a really great series I just got into is Victorian Undead it basically is a Sherlock Holomes versus book the series is Sherlock Holmes continued adventures with Dr. Watson and pits them against all sorts of supernatural threats!! It's awesome and amazing writing, the art is amazing to the twentieth level man, check it out!! And a really great graphic novel I just read is I Kill Giants it's funny and sad and has great heart to it! It's an amazing read!!

Well until next time amigos, I'm off to draw more and create and what not, and figure out how to get paid for it all....

And so it begins, 2011.....

This is it people, this is the year! This is the year we take charge, we break free from all this monatony and such! I'm very serious about this, this year I'm doing big things, this year I'm getting done what needs be done. I'm going to start a company, finish and publish my graphic novel and do more as well; write, act and film some amazing movies; finish and publish my books I've been working on; write, act and film some commercials; even get a play I wrote performed;and do even more amazing things like, get MARRIED!! Yes, this is also the big year of my fiancee and I's wedding! Wicked exciting right!! PUMPED UP!

So get ready for amazing artwork and get ready for the crazy shit coming ahead; be ready to be stunned by pure awesomeness, to laugh, cry and yell in complete emotional explolsion!!

Yeah, get ready/this shit's about to get heavy/I just settled all my doubts/fuck you FREDDY!!/Now this looks like a job for me/so let me see........whoops sry Em!? Stole some of those lines...heh, my bad.

It has already started my loyal random people who check out my page, I've already begun shooting a film so far entitled, "Max Carnage". In it I play the main bad guy, an assassin named Slaythe. It's a film my friend Andrew Reinhardt has been wanting to film for a year I think, we finally just began, we're writing and filming on the fly, ad libbing the dialogue for the most part and completing the story as we go, we have five minutes of it edited already and it actually looks pretty good!! More news soon....

Mike D. Burke

Ever closer it looms....

Well folks here we are in October the month of ghouls and sexy girl costumes...scratch that. I do like that girls like to dress up in sexy superhero and monster costumes don't get me wrong but that's like all some so called "halloween" stores sell....I go to look for an awesome Flash costume, do they have one? No. Do they have some ridiculous thing like a sexy girl Flash costume? Yes. Damn turkeys....October should be about scary stories, fall, horror and Halloween themed illustrations, paintings, comics, shows, tv specials, and movies!!!! Oh and one all important selection that can accompany all of these and more, CANDY. Just saying.

So in anycase, that comic convention I was invited to is looming in on me. TripleCon Oct. 23rd at HCCC starting at 11:00am. I'm working on tons of illustrations for this thing and myself and I really want to be able to put together a "sketchbook" for sale at the con. I figure I will just print up one at this local print shop near me and then have an ordering list with me, to see who wants it, before I put tons of money down on it. The illustrations are all over the map, they're def gonna be fun and cool I have to say, so I hope somebody will want the book haha. Also i will be doing CON SKETCHES at TripleCon of your favorite anime, manga or comic book character, so long as I have some reference on them....Also heck if you want a caracature or portrait let me know and we can set something up!

I'm totally looking forward to TripleCon, I'm pumped!! Come out and see me and just be there and take in the feeling haha. It's a small convention but it's one of the close ones if you live in central NY....just saying.

Also here is a new illustration I did, some personal work and what not for some friends of mine I use to work with. Sort of a parting gift and stuff. Comment if you like it and stuff. Kudos to anyone who can figure out the symbology in the poem and the painting. It's kind of tough and I think you have to know me to get it I spose, but give it a go....

Mike D. Burke
www.ananami919.deviantart.com

Frankie Dingle

Well my dear supporters and what not I have wonderful news, good news even. My second "Frankie Dingle" book is completed, the manuscript and the Illustrations are all complete. I am just in need of finding an agent and a publisher is all. I have sent a query letter and two illustrations out to the Andrea Brown Lit company. I am expecting to hear from them sometime before November. So here's to crossing my fingers to that! Above is what the cover will look like.
There will be a total of seven illustrations, the cover and six introductary illustrations to the story that follows. I hope you will all support me as I attempt to find an agent and publish this book. As soon As I have more information all will follow! Thank you guys, tell your friends!!