the Hurtt Locker

"Queen & Country: Operation Morningstar" Revisited

2010-10-05T19:54:00.002-05:00

(you definitely need to click on image and enlarge it!)
I was really glad to get the chance to do this illustration. I've had some variation of this image in my head for years (ever since my 3-issue run on Queen & Country) so, when someone asked me to do an illustration inside their hardback edition of the aforementioned story arc I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was doubly nervous about this commission as it was in someone's personal copy of the book and I was attempting to do a little watercolor for the first time in a commission. No room for mistakes! All said I think it turned out all right!

Note: Do not adjust your monitors--the paper inside the hard back has a marbled effect printed on it.

The Wonderer

2010-09-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

These Marvel sketch covers have been popping up a lot lately--I've done a few in the last couple of months and they've all been a blast to do! This one was especially fun because it's a breath of fresh air to do a comic character who isn't all grim and determined looking. I really dug Wonder Man as a kid but I came to him after this "safari jacket" phase--I was reading him in West Coast Avengers and his mini-series. That said, I always loved this costume and was more than happy to do this version of him (note: I will always prefer to draw the 70's version of any Marvel character).

Crooked Hills!

2010-09-13T07:39:00.001-05:00

Just in time for Halloween, October sees the release of Crooked Hills, a novel for middle readers (and those of us who never quite grow up) from my frequent collaborator Cullen Bunn. It's a wonderful and perfectly spooky book that hit that sweet spot creepiness and fun where Cullen and I find our common ground. I liked the book so much that I petitioned to be the cover artist (and if everything goes to plan, a few interior illos as well). Here is the finished piece (which I'm awfully fond of) as well as the original line art and initial sketch.

Read Evileye Books official announcement of the upcoming
novel here and keep an eye out for it this fall!

Marvel: After Hours

2010-09-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

If you read Marvel comics anytime in the late 70's or early 80's then you are familiar with this kind of scene. Couple Marvel guys having a night out and playing a friendly game of poker. This was back in the days when smoking cigars was still prohibited in Marvel books (I mean, what kind of world are we living in where Ares can be ripped in half, guts everywhere, but Wolverine can't smoke a stogy?). Anyway, this was a real fun piece for an old 80's Marvel Zombie to bathe in the nostalgia of.
Below is the original drawing I did in advance of the larger piece. As I've stated before, I always work small for the initial drawing and then blow it up and lightbox it. In this case my original drawing is more detailed and worked out than usual due to all the components of this commission.

Frog of Thunder!

2010-09-08T08:08:00.000-05:00

Man-o-man! This is one of my favorite commissions so far and that's because,
as I've stated before, it was Walt Simonson's run on Thor that made me a comic nerd. I remember the Thor Frog issues fondly and when I describe them to folks they just laugh and say that it sounds stupid. Nay. Verily, I say thee nay.

Below is the rough preliminary sketch done for this commission.

Sixth Gun #6

2010-09-06T07:56:00.000-05:00

Issue #6 of the Sixth Gun is solicited right now in the most recent Previews. What the solicitation doesn't tell you is that there are 10 EXTRA PAGES of art and story for the same price as the standard issue. This is a really cool thing that Oni is doing for a really cool issue (if I do say so myself)! This is the big finale of the first story arc and we're celebrating it in a big way! Get the word out!

"General Hume is at the gates of the Maw … and he’s brought Hell with him! It’s the final showdown between the forces of good and evil, and no-one is safe. If Drake survives the undead battalion … if he defeats Hume’s malevolent henchmen … he’s still gazing down the barrel of a shoot-out with the Confederate general not even death could stop!"

The Girl Who Played With Fire

2010-09-03T07:27:00.000-05:00

Catching up on posting some more of my long finished commissions!
This time around we have Harley Quinn, Mistress of Mayhem. This is part two in a theoretical triptych I'm working on for someone. The first piece being Poison Ivy. Harley here was fun to draw--her costume is great and it was fun to try and capture that manic personality in her eyes.

Destroy All Comicon!

2010-09-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

This here is the line art I did for a San Diego Comicon 2010 t-shirt for the fine folks at ComicsOnline. As much of a pain in the ass as the San Diego Convention Center is to draw I still managed to have a fun time with this piece. The coolest part? When I got my complimentary t-shirt it turns out the monster breath was glow-in-the-dark!

NYCC Announcement

2010-08-31T08:05:00.001-05:00

There has been a change in my schedule--unfortunately, I will NOT be attending the New York Comic Con this year. The timing of the show conflicted with some looming deadlines. The cost of the show conflicted with my wallet.
I hope to be there next year!

Small Wonders

2010-08-30T08:16:00.000-05:00

My two best friends are Micronauts--um, let's be generous--"enthusiasts". I, on the other hand, have never read a single issue. I do feel a little bad about that but I also feel like I've missed the Micronauts bus. There's no way I could go back and read them and have them live up to the praise I've heard. It would be like me demanding someone read 80's G.I.Joe and expect it to rock their world. All that said, I still had a blast doing this piece and I can now claim to know the names of all the Micronauts shown above. I can also say that in some small way I drew it not only for the person who commissioned the piece but for my friends who still dream their Micronaut dreams.
Because I had it on hand, I thought I'd share with you the rough sketch I started with. With almost all my commissions I first do a smaller, initial drawing. I do this because I am a complete failure at drawing large. The level of detail in the original drawing can vary greatly (in this case it's somewhere in the middle) and the drawing can also vary in size--anywhere from approx. 8"x10" to around 2"x3". In this case, Baron Karza (foreground, for those of you unfamiliar), was drawn at about 4"x6" and then scanned in and, at that point, the background characters were all sketched in Photoshop. Once I had the basic image I blew it up to 9"x12", printed it up, and then cleaned it up, refined it, by tracing it on my lightbox.

Monster VS Alien

2010-08-26T07:58:00.000-05:00

On the left, as most of you will recognize, is the Predator. Very famous. Instantly recognizable. On the right, however, is someone perhaps not as well known. And, no, that's not Robocop (you weren't the first one to ask). It's Jugger Grimrod--resident bad-ass in a group of bad-asses from the early 80's Marvel/Epic comic Alien Legion (and not, as some of my friends misunderstood, the movie/TV show Alien Nation. Though, that too, would have made for a pretty cool commission). Anyway, this is why I love doing commissions! I'm constantly surprised by the things I'm asked to draw and that's what keeps it so interesting!
That's why it's kind of sad for me to say that I am taking a bit of a hiatus from doing commission work. These past few months have been insanely busy and look to be so for the next several months. I'm still trying to wrap up a couple old commissions from some very, very patient folks. It will probably be after the New Year before I start taking on any new commissions. As soon as I open the list again I will be sure to post it here.

Housekeeping Pt. 2

2010-08-24T07:51:00.000-05:00

Two more drawings from HeroesCon 2010!
As an big 80's G.I.Joe fan it was a blast to get the opportunity to take a crack at Zartan!
And as someone who has never seen a Godzilla flick ("Blasphemer!"--I know) I was really
happy with the way this Godzilla vs. Red Ronin turned out.

Housekeeping

2010-08-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday all! Hope you had a great weekend!
I'm going to start off the week with a couple images sent my way by folks who picked up
commissions from me at HeroesCon, yea, all those months ago.

More tomorrow! I promise.

I Missed You Too

2010-08-20T03:12:00.001-05:00

It's been a long, long time. I've been SO busy working on The Sixth Gun and getting that off the ground that I've neglected my blog. I have a pile of things to uploaded and ready to go so please check back often in the coming weeks.

To start, here is the new header for the blog. The previous one was meant to be just a place holder but ended up staying up there for several months. I wanted to put up something that was a little more abstract in it's subject matter--something more akin to a sketchbook drawing.
Hope you like it.

Want Some Gun?

2010-05-03T19:41:00.002-05:00

click on the images to better read some of the great quotes!

The newest issue of PREVIEWS, out last week, contained the solicitation for isues #1 and #2 of THE SIXTH GUN! The first issue was offered FREE last weekend at Free Comic Book Day but I'm already hearing from a lot of people who were not able to get there hands on one due to the stores running out so quickly or just neglecting to carry it in the first place. So I wanted to post this gentle reminder that both issue #1 and #2 are available to order, right now, through your local retailer and will be released on the SAME DAY, July 14th! Do not take it for granted that your comic shop will carry this--be proactive--make them order the book!

Scent of a Woman

2010-04-23T07:33:00.001-05:00

Hoo-hah! This was a blast to do!
Drawing this commission was so much fun that it almost made up for the fact
that the recent Wolfman movie sucked so bad.

In Her Majesty's Secret Service

2010-04-21T16:23:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I attended Chicago's inaugural C2E2 Comic Convention (change the name folks). The attendance seemed a little on the slight side but that would be my only criticism. The wide aisles, and floor layout were great and I'll definitely give it another go next year.
Because I didn't end up buying a table in artist's alley I did not do any con sketches while at the show. The only exception I made where for two people who contacted me in advance and asked for commissions. Oddly enough, they both wanted drawings of characters from the QUEEN& COUNTRY series--one of Tara Chace and the other of a young Crocker. I was more than happy to oblige as they each hold a special place in my heart.
I'm particularly happy with how they turned out--hope you all like them as well!

SIXTH GUN Slingin'

2010-04-20T17:52:00.002-05:00

From Cullen Bunn's website:

"For those of you unable to snag a copy of The Sixth Gun #1 on
Free Comic Book Day, there is still hope!

"The May edition of Previews (for comics hitting shops in July) will feature a retail edition of #1 and #2 of the series. Both issues will be released on the same day! Make sure you place orders for these books, because we’d like to series to have a nice long life, and the readers can make that happen!

"The retail edition of #1 will feature a brand-new cover, and here’s a look …"

Howl on the Moon

2010-03-25T07:56:00.001-05:00

Lockjaw of the Inhumans. Who woulda thunk someone woulda commissioned me to draw Lockjaw? I'm glad they did! He's always been this great, and strange, iconic character. A being that could only spring from a great imagination.
Anyway, this was my shot at him--I hope you enjoy it!

This piece brought to mind another animal-centric commission
I did a while back of the Super-Pets!

Pick Your Poison Ivy

2010-03-23T15:00:00.001-05:00

This may actually be the first time that I have scanned the line art from a commission before doing the tones (my Indiana Jones/Rocketeer piece withstanding--that was a whole other level of commission). I think this piece is a good illustration of what the tones bring to the drawing. The inked image above, I believe, would stand on it's own as a commission. But I love working with the ink wash/grey tones and I think the bottom piece is richer for it. Just my opinion. That's not to say that adding tones or colors improves any image. There are many pieces that would be ruined by adding tone or color. But, in the case of these commissions, I absolutely draw them with the intention of being toned.
Hope you like!

Emerald City Con Sketches pt 2

2010-03-19T22:36:00.001-05:00

Another fun sketch from Emerald City!

Also, for those of you who did not make the show, check out Charlie Chu's pretty slideshow of photos from ECCC. The final is of a drawing of Silver Surfer I was doing during my idle time at the show.

Emerald City Con Sketches

2010-03-18T22:02:00.002-05:00

I was very happy, and a little surprised, that someone commissioned me to do a drawing of a character from a book that hasn't even come out yet. Very encouraging! This is Becky from the upcoming THE SIXTH GUN!

As always, Emerald City Comic Con was a great show. It's one of those rare shows nowadays that seems to be about all about the comics. The staff is great and the fans are fantastic! This was my third year and I plan to return again next year! It's kind of like a Northeastern HeroesCon (maybe my favorite show).

THE SIXTH GUN: 7-Page Preview!

2010-03-03T20:16:00.005-06:00

Oni Press has a 7-pg preview of THE SIXTH GUN #1 up on their blog now!
Go check it out here and be sure to pick up the first issue for FREE on Free Comic Book Day!

THE SIXTH GUN: Spoiler-Free Panel #3

2010-03-03T12:59:00.000-06:00

Another panel from issue one of THE SIXTH GUN!

Pre-Order Con Sketches!

2010-02-28T13:13:00.003-06:00

It's less than two weeks until my first official convention of the season! On March 13th and 14th I'll be in Seattle attending the Emerald City ComiCon! In preparation for the show I am taking pre-orders on con sketches. If you were planning on getting a sketch from me in Seattle it wouldn't hurt to get on the list early to be guaranteed a sketch. Individual character commissions (such as the ones you see above and below) are $50. If interested, contact me at: brihurtt@hotmail.com

Also, take note, in the column to the right you'll see an entire list of the shows I will be attending this year. If any of you are planning on attending these shows please make a point to seek me out and say hi!

THE SIXTH GUN: Spoiler-Free Panel #2

2010-02-23T00:29:00.003-06:00

Another SIXTH GUN panel tease!
More to come...

THE SIXTH GUN: Spoiler-Free Panel #1

2010-02-17T14:59:00.005-06:00

Really wanted to share something from THE SIXTH GUN with you but I'm a little limited in my options right now. My main worry is sharing anything that has any kind of spoilers in it. I've found a handful of images from the first issue that are spoiler-free and I'll be sharing those here on the blog over the next couple weeks.
I'm really excited with how the book is coming along and I can't wait for everyone to see the first issue come Free Comic Book Day (May 1st)!

Saturday Matinee Dream Team

2010-02-05T01:00:00.001-06:00

Thought I'd share with you something of a process post. This was an exceptionally large commission for me and an oddity in that I actually pitched it. I had done an small, black and white commission of Rocketeer and Indy for this same person. Doing the drawing had really whet my appetite for the subject matter and had said that I would love to tackle this with a bigger canvas, as it were. To my surprise, he agreed.
I draw small. I always have and I'm very comfortable working small. Basically, I suck when I have to try drawing big right out the gate. For that reason, every time I do commission (or a cover or splash page for that matter) I draw the original at a much smaller size (no bigger than 6" x 4" and sometimes as small as 2"x 3"). I'll then I blow it up (usually final image size is 9"x 12") and I'll put it on a light box and trace it. In this case the final piece was much larger--this one was done on 18"x 24" Bristol board) so the initial sketch (above) was done on a sheet of bond paper.

I then blew it up onto four sheets of paper and taped them together and threw them on the light box to trace and clean up (above). As you can see in the sketch, the image is still pretty rough so I'm really doing more than just tracing the image. I'm tightening it up and tweaking it on the page. The original sketch just gets the composition, the proportions, the overall basics, down. Most of the detail work is done on the light box but a lot of the fine details (ones that require reference) are done after I light box it. That's why you see the laptop in the upper corner of the above image. Google image search is a life saver. In this case, I also pulled out some books and DVDs for further reference. I remember getting reference on guns, tanks, cars, the Sphinx and Pyramids, our heroes costumes, horses, saddles, etc.

Below is the piece after doing the light box work.

My first step was to go in with a light wash and start dropping is some values.

I then went in and dropped in all the solid black that I would use in this image. As you can see there really isn't much here. I knew from the get-go that I good deal of this commission would be done in various tones of ink wash...

...and that ended up being a bit of a nightmare. I came in too light in my values and found myself giving the drawing pass after pass of tones trying to build up the drawing. I blame my nervousness--I was apprehensive because of the size and scope of this drawing. I was worried I'd screw it up and have to start all over.

In the end, it worked out fine and I was better off for having taken my time. I'm really happy with the final piece and I'm less nervous about tackling larger pieces in the future!
Here's the final image:

PLEASE, click on the image to super-size

Mad Cow Deceased

2010-02-02T22:11:00.004-06:00

click the image to see it in a large

This recent commission is of Grant Morrison's version of Frankenstein (as seen in the mini-series Seven Soldiers of Victory). I was familiar with the series and had flipped through it on the stands but had yet to read it. Getting this commission gave me that extra push and so I borrowed all the GNs from a friend and read through them in a couple days. I don't think it's Morrison's strongest work--I thought it was one of his more uneven pieces (that can be saying a lot with Morrison). If you absolutely love Morrison there is enough little bits of candy in there to keep you going but overall I would not recommend the entire series. Though I did like the Guardian stories (solid art by Cameron Stewart), the Klarion issues (gorgeous art by Frazer Irving) and the Frankenstein books (with pitch-perfect art by Doug Mahnke). Also, the art by J.H. Williams in the bookend pieces was fantastic.

The Original Marvel Zombie

2010-01-04T09:04:00.000-06:00

Back in the 70's Marvel Comics published a bunch of black and white comics in magazine format.
There was a Hulk book, a Conan title, Kull but perhaps most notable were the horror mags. Books like Haunt of Horror, Tomb of Dracula, and Tales of the Zombie. These horror titles (published in this magazine format to avoid the Comics Code Authority) featured such classic Marvel characters as Brother Voodoo, Blade and Morbius. It was Tales of the Zombie that first introduced us to Simon Garth, The Zombie. Up until I was commissioned to do this piece I had always just thought of him as the zombie from the Marvel mag--I was surprised, and a little amused, to find out that he had a name. I did my best in this piece to capture the swampy, gothic vibe of the 70's mags. I'll leave it to you to decide if I did the character any justice.

At No Cost To Ya'll...

2010-01-01T01:56:00.005-06:00

click the pic for a better look-see

I've been out of town and out of the loop for over a
week so that might explain how I missed this:
It's official! Last week Oni Press announced on their blog that
issue #1 of THE SIXTH GUN will be absolutely FREE as part of this year's
Free Comic Book Day offerings! I couldn't be more excited about launching the book this way! Be sure to head to your local comic shop on May 1st to pick up your copy!

Happy New Year!

O Brother, Weird Art Thou?

2009-12-23T08:15:00.000-06:00

Brother Voodoo--Marvel 70's horror meets 70's Blackploitation! It's a magical mix!
I was telling some friends recently that I would love to do a Marvel comic that takes place in 1970's New York and has a French Connection vibe. I'd put Brother Voodoo in it as well as Power Man, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Tony Stark (as if played by Burt Reynolds) and of course a cameo by Dazzler. Marvel should run with this--it'd be like printing money.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Occult Dirty Bastard

2009-12-22T08:52:00.000-06:00

John Constantine, the quintessential occult detective. It has been a long time since I've read Hellblazer and doing this commission really brought back memories of how much I liked the book back in the day. I'm talking 15 year ago, maybe. I read the entire Ennis/Dillon run as well as some before and some after but when they left the title I more or less left with them. I really should go back and pick up some of the later runs.
When I received this request I was actually kind of struck that no one had ever asked me to do a Constantine drawing before. It seemed right down my alley but I can honestly say that I had the hardest time of any commission ever to come up with a composition that I liked. In the end I think it all worked out though. The second hardest commissions? Oddly enough, the ones that feature characters from THE DAMNED (my creator owned series). Can't explain it...

Them What Ails Ya, Part Four

2009-12-21T01:34:00.004-06:00

Did I forget to mention that Part Three was posted last week? Yes I did. whoops.
It can still be found here.
If you are caught up you can make your way to the fourth and final installment of the SIXTH GUN Christmas yarn, "Them What Ails Ya'"! Head on over to the Oni blog to read Part Four.

Stay posted--I should have some new art from the book to share with you in the next week or too! I can't wait!

Sand By Me

2009-12-13T15:27:00.004-06:00

click-it-to-big-it

I love the classic Spider-Man rogues gallery so it was a lot of fun to do this drawing of old web-head going up against Sandman. The biggest challenge was the all grey wash background--it took forever to build up!

Them What Ails Ya, Part Two

2009-12-09T10:13:00.003-06:00

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but in case you
missed it, the next installment of The 6th Gun Christmas story
has been posted on the Oni Press blog!

Them What Ails Ya, Part One

2009-12-01T13:11:00.006-06:00

The Sixth Gun is the upcoming full-color, supernatural western from writer Cullen Bunn and myself. Although the first issue doesn't release until the spring we do have a little introduction to this world to share with you. Head on over to the Oni Press blog to see the first of four installments of THE SIXTH GUN Christmas Yarn: Them What Ails Ya. This prose story will come out every Tuesday between now and Christmas and each installment will be accompanied by an illustration by myself.
Hope ya'll like it!

Ape in the Air

2009-11-29T21:31:00.004-06:00

This recent commission called on me to do a version of the classic Hawkman cover where he battles a winged ape (see the original below). Winged characters now join my list of most challenging super-heroes to draw (along with archers and speedsters)--the images are hard to compose because you have to make room for those big 'ol wings! But don't think that that means I didn't enjoy doing this piece! I'm always up for a challenge!
Hope you all like it!

The Sixth Gun in the Twelfth Month

2009-11-25T22:28:00.003-06:00

There's a little bit of news on the Sixth Gun front including the newly revealed, official logo! Instead of me regurgitating it all for you here why not pop over to the Oni Press blog and read about what's in store for the month of December--click here!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And to my non-American readers--Happy Thursday!

The Lightning Round

2009-11-22T20:34:00.005-06:00

For this commission I was asked to riff on the cover to Thor #411 where the God of Thunder goes up against the Juggernaut. This was a classic from the Ron Frenz era of Thor. As much as I love the Walt Simonson run it wasn't until much later that I came to appreciate the art stylings of Mr. Frenz. He was obviously, channeling Kirby when he worked on this series and he really captured the weight, power, and dynamism of "The King's" art. Here's the original cover to this Clash of the Titans:

I Feel the Need. The Need for Speed.

2009-11-16T09:12:00.000-06:00

Another recent commission to share with you all. I braced myself when I got this request because I feel that speedsters are some of the hardest characters to draw (and make interesting compositions with). You might say that they're my Achilles Heel (groan). But as I lay in bed one night mulling this over (this is a my most tried and true method of brainstorming) this image just popped in my head and the final result is about as close as I ever get to creating what's in my mind's eye. I'm very happy with the final result and I hope you all like it too.

Hot Damned, Here I Am(ned)

2009-11-12T16:59:00.003-06:00

I know, right? It's been forever since my last post, but on the upside, I have several things to post over the next month or so. Starting with this recent commission: everybody's favorite cursed brothers--Morgan and Eddie from THE DAMNED. Every time I do a DAMNED commission I get a little sad that I'm not currently working on this book. I get very excited about all the ideas Cullen and I have for this series. The good news is, fingers crossed, I should be working on the next mini-series starting this spring.

Boy and Arrow

2009-10-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a con sketch from the Windy City show I did a few weeks back. It's Ronin from the New Avengers and I have to admit I was unfamiliar with this character until this sketch (it's been a few years since I read any Avengers). But I was won over by the guy having a bow and arrow--'cuz archers are cool characters to draw. Cool but hard. Anyway, I think he turned out pretty good.
I hope update pretty soon but I'm currently in Portland visiting Oni Press and friends. I have some new commission posts coming up in the near future.
Stay tuned!

Jack Russell Terror

2009-09-30T20:18:00.004-05:00

for full effect--click on image

Fun, fun, fun! I've been sitting on this for a couple weeks and have been anxious to post it--had to be sure it's new owner was the first to see it. There are werewolf fans and there are wolf man fans (yes, there is a difference) and I fall into the wolf man category. This particular wolf man happens to be one Jack Russel (no joke) also known to Marvel Horror fans as Werewolf By Night. Did I read this comic as a kid? No. Yet, how do I know all about the character, you may ask? I work with Cullen Bunn. Cullen, to anyone who knows him, is an authority on all things horror and has a very special place in his heart for the Marvel Horror of the 70's. Before finishing the piece and sending it off I felt compelled to seek out his approval. Thankfully, he gave it his blessing.

Thanks again for this request Filippo!

Hand to Hand Combat

2009-09-08T02:49:00.003-05:00

Here are a recent pair of commissions I did in the style of a diptych.
I like the both of them but I think I'm particularly fond of the Daredevil half of the piece.

As these were designed to hang next to one another I thought I'd
include the pair side-by-side to give you an approximation of what they'd look like.

click on any image to enlarge

The 6th GUN, Part 5

2009-08-07T10:10:00.003-05:00

I just finished the inks for the first issue yesterday!
Here are the very first conceptual pieces I did for THE 6th GUN based on the earliest pitch. Some of these characters remain in the story unchanged, some have been tweaked in their design and some have disappeared entirely. You'll know which is which come this spring!

Have great weekend everyone!

The 6th GUN, Part 4

2009-08-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the last of my concept art "set pieces" from THE 6th GUN.
Drawing those Confederate soldier zombies was a whole lot of fun!

Stay tuned, I still have some sketches and character drawings to share with you!

The 6th GUN, Part 3

2009-08-03T04:57:00.003-05:00

Hope you all had a good weekend!
Here's another teaser image from the project I'm currently working on, THE 6th GUN.

Happy Birthday Dad!

The 6th GUN, Part 2

2009-07-31T04:47:00.003-05:00

Here's another concept art from THE 6th GUN that I wanted to share with you.
Another scene from the book that may or may not appear, featuring characters who may or may not look like this. I guess you'll just have to wait until Spring '10 to find out!
Stay tuned--more to come!

FINALLY! (The 6th Gun, Part 1)

2009-07-29T16:44:00.006-05:00

Those of you that have run into me at shows over the last few months have probably had a glimpse at this image (and a handful more) while for the rest of you this will be new. I have been dying to share this (and over the next week even more images) for about a year now! It was finally announced in San Diego this past week that Cullen Bunn and I will be doing a new book, a FULL COLOR book, for Oni Press. I won't talk to much about plot right now--I'll try to let the art speak for itself. Needless to say, this is sort of a dark epic fantasy set in the Wild West. It's a six-issue mini-series and it'll debut sometime in the spring.
First issue is already penciled and half inked.

It's called THE 6th GUN.

Stay tuned!

Belayed Heroes Sketch

2009-07-10T08:26:00.000-05:00

Here's another Heroes Con sketch that almost slipped through the cracks.
Thanks again for sending the scan, Brian!

Grave Robin

2009-07-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

I was really happy with the way this one turned out and just happy to even be commissioned to do it (thanks again, Kevin)! This is Earth-2 Robin as he appeared in Justice League #55 (see below). Kevin had run this by me a while back but we'd never gotten around to having me do it so I was really psyched when he came back to me with it. I figure it's probably the only time anyone will ever ask me to draw this incarnation of the character. Again, a whole lot of fun!

Everyday is Thors-day!

2009-07-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

I decided to post these two pieces together for obvious reasons. I had two friends each order a commission of Thor recently. One wanted Thor in his new, Coipel-designed, costume and the other one wanted my take on the mythological Thor. I did both these pieces back to back and had a blast with each one! My loyalty keeps swaying back and forth to which one I like best--I hope that says something to how much I liked these. As an added bonus, anyone who knows me knows that I got into comics reading G.I.Joe but it was at a flea market that I was really sucked into the Marvel Universe when I picked up one of Walt Simonson's issues of THOR. So the guy holds a fond place in my heart.

Sister of WhereBlade and WhoBlade

2009-07-03T08:07:00.000-05:00

I only just realized this as I was posting this commission, but Witchblade is the character that I've known the least about when asked to do the commission. I hope it doesn't show! I still had a lot of fun doing this--it's not often I get to draw tough, curvy women in tattered clothing. Not a bad way to make a living!

(by the way, I take a lot of pride in coming up with
these really stupid post titles. You're welcome.)

Speedy Commission...That I Took My Time in Doing

2009-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a drawing I did of the most recent Speedy of the Teen Titans!
You really can't go wrong with archers. Tell me one comic book archer that sucks. And then you've got the cool hood and everything...very cool all 'round.

More Heroes...and Villains!

2009-06-29T08:47:00.000-05:00

Here are three more images from Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC!
Thing VS Terrax (I used the classic Byrne run as my reference), Hawksmoor (from Stormwatch/Authority), and Zorro! I gotta believe you can't go wrong asking an artist to do a drawing of Zorro. All were a lot of fun to do.

If anyone out there has any drawings I did at the show and
you haven't sent them to me I'd love to get a scan or a photo and post it here!

More from Heroes

2009-06-26T00:40:00.002-05:00

Two more from the Heroes pre-order list.
I was really pumped when I got the Snake Plissken commission because it gave me an excuse to sit down and rewatch Escape From New York. Y'know, for research. I mean, it had been almost 6 months since I last watched it. Apparently I'm not the only Snake fan--this sketch sat in the protfolio through most of the show and almost everyone who came by commented on that. I'm definitely going to have to do more drawings of Snake.
And, of course, the image below is of the iconic, bad-girl, British super spy: Tara Chace. A character I always love returning to.

(my internet connection seems to be working fine so,
fingers crossed, I'll get some more posts up real soon!)

Heroes Return

2009-06-23T20:18:00.002-05:00

Well, another Heroes Con has come and gone and I'm a little sadder for it.
Now I have to wait a whole year to return to what I consider to be the best convention out there. Got to see a lot of familiar faces and meet some great new people.
Here are a couple of pre-order drawings I did before heading to Charlotte.
Hope you like them!
I have several more images to post and I'll try to get them up soon.
Right now my internet is down (burned up modem, I think) and I'm posting this
from the local cafe's unreliable network. Stay tuned!

Heroes Sketch Pre-Order

2009-06-11T18:22:00.002-05:00

I will be attending the Heroes Convention in Charlotte next weekend and
I'm taking a handful of con sketch pre-orders. Anyone interested in ordering a sketch
prior to the show can contact me at :

brihurtt@hotmail.com
(I may not be able to get back to you until late Sunday/early Monday
as I will be out of touch this weekend)

The sketches will run $50. I will also be doing these at the show of course but there they are first come, first serve, on a day to day basis. If the history is any measure I tend to stay pretty busy at this show.
Heroes is a great show all 'round and I recommend it to everyone!

Moss Def

2009-06-10T16:36:00.002-05:00

click-it to big-it

Here's a recent commission I did! Swamp Thing is a lot of fun to draw--you can just go to town on this guy drawing roots, grass, fungus, etc. It's hard to know when to stop.
Hope you enjoy!

A New Commission Sale!

2009-05-22T16:31:00.004-05:00

A window has opened up in my schedule and starting late next week I'll be doing commissions. The above drawing is and example of the style and quality of the commissions. I had such a great response to the holiday sale that I've decided to run a different kind of deal.
All commissions are brush inked and then toned in a grey wash on 11"x14" Bristol board with a one inch border (actual image size is 9"x12"). The price is still $150 plus $8 for shipping (this includes the plastic sleeve I ship them in). The deal this time around is one piece for $150 but if you get a second commission it's only $99 (hell, if you want a third piece, to make it a tryptych, I'll do that one for $99 as well). This also gives you the opportunity to go in with some friends and everyone can get a savings. I already have a couple folks lined up so space is limited.

If you're interested contact me at brihurtt@hotmail.com

You can see some more examples of commissions in this style by clicking on "commissions" at the bottom of this post (when you follow the link, disregard any images that are not grey toned).

I Got Spade for Charity

2009-05-20T12:28:00.001-05:00

Last month I attended the FX Show in Orlando. The organizers of the show sponsored a charity poker tournament featuring a special deck of cards--each designed by a different guest of the show. I was asked to do the 3 of Spades. Above is the original art and below is a scan of the actual playing card. The original art was supposed to be auctioned after the show with the proceeds from that and the tournament going to The American Cancer Society.

Catching Up!

2009-05-19T16:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I posted so I apologize for the art dump here.
All of these are con sketches from shows I've attended in the last couple months. I'm trying to make a point of at least taking photos of my sketches at shows as it is usually the last time I'll see them. I still manage to forget half the time. Thanks to all those people who send me scans or photos of con pieces! It's great to be able to have these for the sake of posterity.

Sashy Lady

2009-04-13T17:41:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple more con sketches I did for Emerald City.
Note: I love Ms. Marvel's costume. It's basically the sash that does it. I love sashes. Also, capes. Especially those funky collared capes (e.g. Dr. Strange). Or just the funky collars (e.g. 70's Morbius). To sum up: I'm always open for doing con sketches and commissions of characters in sashes or capes.

The Original Lady Death

2009-04-11T12:23:00.002-05:00

Just got back from a wonderful trip to the Emerald City show in Seattle and a side trip to Portland to visit with my Oni Press pals. Two great cities that taste great together. This was my second year at Emerald City and I think I'll probably be making a habit of it.
The above sketch is one I did at the show. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Death can be kind of a tricky character to get right.

King of the Hill

2009-03-17T12:04:00.003-05:00

Another recent commission to share with you all. Like the Grifter/Deathblow commission, this too took a long time to come up with composition. I probably went through over a dozen different sketches before landing on this one. After all that, I was really happy with how it turned out.
Oddly, my favorite part of the whole drawing is the metal bands on the casks of Prohibition hooch. Makes the whole drawing.

Deep in the Brush with Death

2009-03-11T14:49:00.003-05:00

Here's a recent commission I did of the characters Deadblow and Grifter. I really struggled with coming up with a composition for these two but once I settled on this it was off to the races. I'm really happy with how it turned out--it's almost exactly how I had pictured it!
That's not always the case...

88-08: Looking Back Part 2

2009-01-22T10:30:00.001-06:00

For obvious reasons, the above images made me laugh. These were also part of Star Clipper's 20th Anniversary art show (see prev post). Therefore the above pages were also drawn when I was in 8th grade. The storytelling in these pages is what really cracks me up. It's obvious that I was thinking about the storytelling and the composition...I just came to all the wrong conclusions. The best part is the burnt panel borders on page 01--eat that, Wil Eisner!

Below is my reinterpretation of these pages, done 20 yrs later. It was a lot of fun to go back and reimagine this sequence. Also, this is the first time I've done any sequential work in pen (Microns), instead of brush, and I was really happy with the results.
Hope you like it!

click to enlarge images!

Some Damned Praise!

2009-01-19T23:06:00.000-06:00

Many, many thanks to the fine folks over at The Quarter Bin! They've just released their list of "Comics of the Year--2008" and saw fit to name The Damned: Prodigal Sons one of their "Best Mini-Series". Pop on over to check out the rest of the list.
Here's what they had to say about The Damned:

"I loved the first Damned mini, and when this sequel came out, it not only lived up to the original, but surpassed it. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt expanded on the mythos of their demon-infested 1940s in a way that not only made me want to see more of this world outside of Eddie, his brother, and the mobster monsters of his city, but had me hanging on the edge of my seat at the end of each issue. I was first introduced to Brian Hurtt during his stint on Queen and Country, and while the guy was good then, his work on this series establishes him as one of the best independent artists working today. His crisp black and white art creates an atmosphere that invokes some of the great noir detective/mystery flicks, and his work is totally worth the wait between series. Cullen Bunn’s scripting is sharp, smart, and would translate well to any medium. I’m just thankful we’ve got him in comics. You’d be a fool to not track this book, or the original mini-series, down at your LCS if you missed out on it."

88-08: Looking Back Part 1

2009-01-08T10:21:00.000-06:00

2008 was the 20th anniversary of my local comic book store, Star Clipper, and to commemorate the event they asked local comic artists to contribute two pieces each for an art show on their premises. The parameters were pretty broad but at the heart of it was the theme of "20 Years". A couple of the artists, and myself, latched onto that and decided to go with the concept of finding pieces that were 20 yrs old and then reimagining them through the lens of 20 years of experience we've had as artists. The following 2 drawings constitute my first piece. I'll post the second one in a few days.

When going through my old drawings I was looking for this above piece in particular. I thought it was drawn about 20 yrs ago and to my surprise and joy, when I found it, it actually had "88" written on the drawing. Slam dunk.
I was in the eighth grade when I drew this and the concept was to take the Arthurian legends (which I, to this day, know very little about--I never let ignorance get in my way) and then, out of those legends, create a superhero team. Thus, Merlin and the Marauders was born!
I don't even know where to start with commenting on this drawing--give me a break, I was 13!

With the following image I wanted to stylistically go in a completely opposite direction to offer a distinct contrast. I wanted to try something in color and I was, in the composition, trying to evoke some static 16th century painting. Only, with pens and watercolor. Anyway, I had a lot of fun reimagining my eighth grade drawing and I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.
Hope you enjoy!

Happy Damned New Year!

2009-01-01T10:14:00.004-06:00

This is how folks used to ring in the New Year back during Prohibition.
Hope your New Year's was a little less violent but just as fun.

Here's to 2009, folks!

Jingle Hell Rock

2008-12-24T11:31:00.003-06:00

Nothing evokes the spirit of the season more than Hellboy beating down a Mecha-Ape.
I hope everyone has a happy holidays--my best wishes to you all!

Bat-er Up!

2008-12-22T00:42:00.002-06:00

Another recent commission to share with you all. I really like this piece (of course, I really like all my pieces--I'm that in love with myself) and I like it for a few reasons. First, I like the big black shape that is Batman's cape here--I think it worked pretty well as a graphic. This was the first thing I saw in my head before sketching out the piece. Second, I like the dramatic spotlight lighting on Two-Face. This, no surprise, was the second thing that popped into my head before taking pencil to paper. And lastly, I had a lot of fun inking the entire background in wash. This did not pop into my head until I was almost ready to ink the drawing. I thought it would give the piece a great depth of field and I think it turned out pretty good. As always I really like doing these commissions--they are always a lot of fun. I wish time permitted me to do more.

Dancing with the Stars

2008-12-18T11:37:00.002-06:00

I really enjoyed doing this more "reflective" super-hero piece. The request was for a kind of "romantic" image of Invincible and Atom Eve. This was the image that popped into my head right away. I love it when that happens--most of the time it isn't that straight forward. I usually do several sketches before landing on a composition that I like. Anyway, I was really happy with how this turned out. I hope you all like it!

Stars and Stripes Forever

2008-12-17T00:38:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago I opened my schedule for a pre-Holidays commission special. Here is the first of a handful of commissions I did.
I love the WWII Captain America. I've never understood why Marvel doesn't have an ongoing full blown WWII Cap comic. It would be awesome. You could have co-stars like the Invaders, Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos, etc. But I digress...

Gah!

2008-12-09T00:36:00.003-06:00

After a few posts of cutesy girls I thought I'd follow up with something that's a bit of the polar opposite. And, no, it's not a self-portrait.
I have a couple interesting posts coming up but things have been a bit hectic of late (holidays and all) so it might be a few days before they're up.
Stay tuned!

Lady in Grey

2008-12-03T10:59:00.002-06:00

I've always liked this color combination of blond hair against a grey outfit. Ever since I saw Hitchcock dress Kim Novak in that grey suit in Vertigo.

Lucky Strike

2008-12-02T10:44:00.002-06:00

Another splash of color and a cute pin-up girl. Happy Tuesday!

Rollerskate Katie's Got a Gun

2008-11-30T23:37:00.003-06:00

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! Thanksgiving was great for me. The day after was kind of a drag as I ended up sleeping most of it. Saturday and Sunday were mostly work days for me--which I actually kinda enjoy.
Thought I'd start off the week with a pretty smiling girl on roller skates. You can't knock that. I have no idea where the inspiration comes from but it's obvious that she stepped out of the 70's. Kind of has that Charlie's Angels vibe. Also, a very "Summer-y" vibe. Which is nice considering the greyness and snow flurries outside my window.
Enjoy!

Holiday Sale!

2008-11-26T07:43:00.004-06:00

Help me. Help you.
I need a little X-Mas money. You need an X-Mas gift.
Treat yourself or treat a friend.
I'm gonna run a little deal on my commissions. These pieces you see here are an example of the quality and style in which I do my commissions. They are inked and then toned in a grey wash on 11"x14" Bristol board with a one inch border (actual image size is 9"x12"). I normally charge $150 (plus $8 for shipping). Now, just in time for the holidays, I'm offering to do pieces in this style for $125 a piece (plus shipping). If you've been thinking about getting a piece from me, now's the time. All you do is tell me who you want a drawing of and leave the rest to me. Space is limited--I only plan on doing a handful. Barring any postal mishaps, I guarantee to have these to you in time for X-Mas.

Contact me at brihurtt@hotmail.com

You can see some more examples of commissions in this style by clicking on "commissions" at the bottom of this post.

In the meantime, to all my American friends: Happy Thanksgiving!

Shazam.

2008-11-25T00:37:00.003-06:00

Not the first time I've drawn Captain Marvel and it won't be the last. The "Big Red Cheese" is just such a fun character to work with. Not sure exactly what it is.
Perhaps it's the comically short towel he keeps tied around his neck.

I know that in a recent comment section I'd asked for suggestions of characters you folks would like to see me take a crack at. Fear not, suggestions were noted and I do plan to do several of them. It'll probably be until after the holidays before I get any of those posted--I have a couple other posts already in the queue. Stay tuned!

Re-Presentation

2008-11-24T08:29:00.001-06:00

The above image is not a repost, it's actually a rescan. Got the old scanner hooked back up and found that it does a much better job of scanning color images. Still have a couple kinks to work out (RE: the shadows on the left border of the image) but I'm much more happy with the results. I've included the previous scan for comparison.

And here is the other recent watercolor I did along with it's original scan. I feel like I can breathe a little easier now that this images are being presented in a form that is much, much closer to the original images.
I'm sure it's a weight off your shoulders too.

Marvel's Merry Band of Mutant Misfits

2008-11-21T01:47:00.003-06:00

Don't really have anything to say about this one--I just got the bug the other night to draw the classic team in their classic gear. Hope you like!

Have a good weekend all!

"Make Mine Marvel" Monday

2008-11-17T11:52:00.005-06:00

Just wanted to shake it up a bit and throw out a drawing from that other superhero universe. No need to tell you who this mean old cuss is.

Excelsior!

Green Energy

2008-11-14T08:18:00.000-06:00

Because the people demanded it: Alan Scott the Green Lantern.
And, because Ron demanded it, he's in his puffy pirate shirt.

Have a good weekend folks!

Frequent Flyer

2008-11-13T11:51:00.003-06:00

Another Man of Steel drawing to share with you. I liked doing the watercolors on this, unfortunately, my scanner is crap at scanning watercolors (as I pointed out in an earlier post). You'll have to take my word for it that this piece looks better in person. :)

World's Finest or I Make This Cape Work

2008-11-12T11:30:00.004-06:00

As promised, some World's Finest (and friends) drawings from my sketchbook. I had a blast doing these--in fact, it's the only time I've ever enjoyed drawing Superman (a character I normally find pretty boring). I would love to see a World's Finest that takes place in the 30's or 40's. Would anyone out there know if DC has already done this?
Hope you all enjoy these!

The Lady is a Champ

2008-11-11T11:33:00.003-06:00

I've never been a giant fan of Wonder Woman--I'm not sure I've ever read a comic of hers--but her costume and design is wonderful and a lot of fun to play with. There are so many different directions that her design can be taken in.
Whenever, I pick up the sketchbook to doodle and I'm at a loss as to what to draw, I end up falling back on super-heroes (or naked ladies). Sooo, the next couple posts are going to be super-heroe themed drawings done in this same style. I hope you like 'em.
Next: World's Finest.

Worst Halloween Ever

2008-11-09T21:59:00.004-06:00

I hesitate to even put these images up on the blog. Although I really liked the above piece, my scanner really sucks at scanning color. Anyway, this was done the other night while hanging out with friends. I've been wanting to play with watercolors for a while so I thought I'd do a little practice sketch.
The below image is just the same watercolored image only with the foreground characters colored a little more flat in Photoshop. I was going for a kind of cel animation style--something I've been wanting to try for a while.
So, while not an overwhelming success, I did have a lot of fun with this piece and I intend to do some more pieces like it in the near future.

As always, click on images to big 'em up.

Supes Kitchen

2008-11-04T10:50:00.000-06:00

Some grabs from the sketchbook These all revolve around a family (a group of super-heroes I draw from time to time) at breakfast time. I think I must have been hungry when I was drawing these.
P.S. I sure hope you went out and voted today. I was at the polls at 6 this morning and stood in line for over 3 hours. Totally worth it.

Drawing for Funs

2008-11-03T10:05:00.000-06:00

To get this week started off on the right foot I'm offering up these cartoon drawings that are colorful, airy and ultimately, optimistic in their character.
The above and below are actually images from two separate story ideas but since they share the same style I thought I'd post them together. Hope you like 'em!

Ladies Night at the Hurtt Locker (Part Two)

2008-10-31T08:37:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween, all! I'm not really operating under the holiday theme here, although I guess some of these images can be construed as being kinda "Halloween-y". Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, another set of drawings of Ladies to send you off into the weekend with. Hope you like them.

Indie Pulp Masthead

2008-10-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

This is an older piece that I don't believe I ever posted. My bad. It is a "THE DAMNED" themed masthead for a great comic review and news site called, you guessed it, "IndiePulp". Take some time to pop over and bookmark this site.

In unrelated news, myself and some friends are going to have a horror movie night in recognition of this special time of the year. On the agenda is FRIGHT NIGHT! It's been years since I've seen this--one of my favorite horror films. I can't wait!

"You're sooo cool, Brewster."

Electro Avenue

2008-10-29T08:07:00.000-05:00

The Original Shock Jock. The Prince of Power Lines. The Archangel of Alternating Current. He's the fork in the socket and the knife in the toaster. The one, the only. Electro.
Spider-Man has got to have the coolest Rogues Gallery. Even better than Batman in my opinion.

Stompin' Some Nazis

2008-10-27T08:48:00.000-05:00

Here's a recent commission that was a lot of fun to do. This is such a perfect duo it makes me wonder why Dark Horse hasn't done an Indy/Rocketeer crossover (or have they and I just missed it?).

I kept finding myself humming John Williams Indiana Jones score as I was drawing this.

Below is the initial sketch I did.

Ladie's Night at the Hurtt Locker

2008-10-24T10:36:00.000-05:00

Keepin' It Simple

2008-10-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

Some fun sketches I pulled from the notebook and dropped some color on. There is absolutely no connection here between Black Widow and Thor other than they were drawn on the same page. I think the urge to draw the Widow came just after I finished reading Brubaker's Death of Captain America trades. And Thor is just an old fave of mine.

Third Quarter Posting

2008-10-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

It's about time I posted something new up here--it's actually well past time I did so. It's not that I haven't been staying busy, I just haven't had anything I could share with you all. I am in the early stages of a project that has yet to be announced so although it's taking up all my work time I have nothing to share yet. The rest of my time has been spent doodling and making notes in my sketchbooks about future projects (i.e. daydreaming). These pages tend to be indecipherable pencil sketches, spotty dialogue, and random notes. Nothing that I wouldn't be embarrassed to share in public. These images here are some exceptions where I actually finish the sketches in pen. Hope you like them.
I'm currently sitting on a few days worth of posts so stay tuned.

Attack in Black

2008-07-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

I think these are the last of the Heroes commissions that have been sent my way (I really need to start taking a camera to the show). Above is the first of two Punishers I did at the show which in turn inspired a conversation of how cool Mike Zeck is. I really like his sequential art but it was his covers in the 80s that hold a special place in my heart: G.I. JOE, PUNISHER, CAPTAIN AMERICA, etc.
Black Adam is always awesome to draw. It's a simple, yet genius, costume design and the only way to do him right is to give the man his sash. It's all about the sash. I'd wear one if I thought I could pull it off.

Archer a Little Old to be Reading Comics?

2008-06-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

One more con sketch from Heroes Con.

Guys with bows and arrows have always been a challenge for me to draw. That said, this is probably my favorite attempt to date. Plus, extra cool points for it being Hawkeye in his old costume. Thanks to Shannon for sending along this image so I could post it!

Thanks also for sending me this photo of myself with Laura Samnee (rhymes with Omni) and Chris Samnee (don't call me SAM-knee). I'm the one in the middle, as is appropriate as I tend to like to be the center of attention. Why do are the Samnees smiling so big? I'll answer that with another question: Where are my hands?

If you want to make me jealous go ahead and pop over to Chris' blog to see a bunch of amazing drawings he did for the show.