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Friday, December 18, 2015

Resuscitation for Ophidian 2350??

Resuscitation
©Copyright 2003 Ophidian Games/Fleer International.
Artwork by Eugene Randolph Young


Back in 2003, my work on Epilogue.net got me hired to do 32 pieces for Ophidian 2350. The game got great reviews, but was later cancelled by Fleer, leaving fans in the lurch and an expansion set unreleased. This week, I learned that Hack and Slash Games has picked up the project and has a Kickstarter campaign scheduled for launch on Dec. 31 of this year. They even have have a solid art and design team on board for this new iteration of the game. I'll always be loyal fan of the original art and overall aesthetic, but I'm looking forward to seeing Ophidian 2350 make a well-deserved comeback.

Ophidian 2350 CCG Page @ Hack and Slash Games 

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Kalifia: New Art Book in Production

Last week, I started work on an art book that will feature an updated series of over 30 digitally painted warrior women. This will be a huge undertaking with an ambitious completion date in early January. Kalifia is inspired by the countless book and magazine cover illustrations that inspired me in the mid- and late-80s. These covers featured warrior women, sorceresses, and femmes fatales depiceted with monsters, exotic weapons and fantastic environments. More to come...

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Cyborg Sketch

Sometimes it's fun just to let myself paint out of my head. When I do, I can check for forgotten anatomy, and experiment with old and new techniques. After returning from CTNx 2015, I've gotten a bit more critical of how I approach things, especially storytelling in my work. It's never enough to just paint something with impressive technique and catchy subject matter. Considering things like emotion and story every single time I pick up a pen is a new challenge that will definitely haunt me for a while.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

#Karju Show Reception Friday, October 30!


OMG! OMG! OMG!

Just six days 'til the #Karju: A Mini Motors and Monsters Mash-Up artist reception.

#Karju is a series of 16 small paintings celebrating my fascination with 80s fantasy vehicles from television, animation and film, model kit box top illustrations and a longtime love of kaiju and Japanese toys.

The series started as a theme for my night as one of the guest artists at the October 2014 Quick Draw SF. I painted six quick ink and watercolor sketches of creatures inspired by the likes of K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, Herbie the Love Bug. A year later, these fun and colorful creatures have their own show at Lounge 3411 in Oakland, Californa.

The show also includes my first "kaijuligraphy" scrolls, hand-lettered signs, a new series of kaiju-inspired monster hands and more!
 








Here's a link to the FB invite!
https://www.facebook.com/events/152864708398174/

Please RSVP ASAP. The work is up and ready for viewing and will be on display thorugh November.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Blackest Cat: Process

This piece started as a study in a 5" x 7" brown paper sketchbook using a Prismacolor® sienna brown pencil. The sketchbook at the time was new and dedicated mostly to explorations of possible concepts for the Lovecraft Society Show. The Rats in the Walls during summer following my first year of studying mechanical engineering at San Jose State University. The Richmond Public Library had a volume of his short stories that introduced me to the H.P. Lovecraft's work since "From Beyond" and "Reanimator" on late-night cable television. In fact, my dad came home to find me and my sister watching a reanimated corpse holding its own head between the legs of a one of the female leads while several other ghouls under his control held her down. "What'chall watchin'?"

I vaguely remember reading "The Rats in the Walls" but I never forgot Lovecraft's casual reference to the black cat as "Nigger-man". It was the kind of anachronistic and bigoted language that I could easily file away but it was enough to reveal some discomfiting bits about the author supremacist beliefs. Surprisingly, the cat's name triggered in me a sort of empathy for the animal. While it was subordinate to humans by nature or the circumstances of domestication it was oddly empowered by its ability to hear the dangerous, wicked things from beyond. This inspired me to re-imagine it as something with a voice and a higher level of sentience.

The other night, I carried the calico we call "Centurion" to the back yard before leaving to work in a cafe in Downtown Berkeley. I had put food out for her and wasn't sure if she had eaten. Her routine is to greet me when I return home after hours, follow me inside to the kitchen, and then out back to be fed. I had alread put food out for, so I decided to take her to the back of the house myself. As I carried her to the back she began to growl at something in the dark that I could neither see, smell or hear. Visits from neighborhood cats and families of raccoons after dark are common throughout the year, but they usually run away when I am near. Whatever was in the dark, it stayed away as she nervously picked at dry food in the bowl next to the sliding glass back door.

One morning, over 20 years ago, when Mr. Domino (deceased) was a kitten, he spied two boys watching me leave the house for school. They were across the street carrying a large white plastic bucket and quickly turned away when they saw me notice them. I left on my usual route but decided to double back. I found them around the corner huddled over something. One of them was cutting a plastic 2-liter bottle with a kitchen knife. It was only a few days after the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995 and the boys were probably on spring break and inspired by he event to build a pipe bomb. One of the boys was from a nearby house where the father abused their many cats. Their cats often came to our house to be fed and nurtured. Mr. Domino was friendly a tuxedo cat who may have saved my parents' home from being bombed.


I started with a printed enlargement of the original sketch. Any obvious distortions in the creature's anatomy were corrected in Photoshop, and further improved with pencil work work directly on the printout. I then transferred the outline of the creature to the panel. The panel was treated with a layer of acrylic clear gesso weeks before. The medium has a gritty pumice that I prefer for creating an underdrawing. Using a conte pencil, I can roughly establish areas of light, shadow and midtone. This approach also allows me to further evaluate and edit the design of the creature.
Acrylic medium dissolves the pencil work and allows me to start defining the lit planes on the creature, midtone values, the teeth and the highlights in the eyes with titanium white.
 The warmth of the earthy red conte pencil mixes with the warmth of the wood. I like to think of the natural pigments in the wood as a bonus glaze of yellow that will glow through the thin paint layers of the background as well as the thin, less densely pigmented skin of the creature around the lips, nose, eyes and forehead. This approach derives from observations of my own skin which varies in pigmentation depending on my exposure to sun, and location on my body. The fleshy, pinkish orange layer serves as a natural substrate to subsequent layers of browns and blacks.


 
The pupils were next darkened along with some of the shadow areas.  Next, I applied the first heavy glazes of ultramarine blue mixed with various reds and titanium white. Using washes for the background and medium-boosted glazes on the creature let me work with one range of hues throughout the piece.


 After returning to the eyes, forehead, teeth and lower lip, I reluctantly pushed more washes of violets into the background. The leaving it with the simple background at this stage might have been the way to go. I wanted a classical portrait/yearbook photo flavor for a mix of realism, empathy and humor. Lovecraft's short story Pickman's Model (1927) introduced me to the idea of an artist using actual creatures as models and I even considered basing the piece on a description from that story.
I eventually gave in to a compromise between my original vision for the piece with a dark, inky background and a simpler one reminiscent of a studio photographer's backdrop. As the paint dried, I scratched in symbols and marks and used drops of water and medium to further weather the background. One of my reference photos was of a dark gray hairless cat with a wrinkled forehead. Keeping the skin hairless was another idea that I almost abandoned for something closer to a velvety black fur. I was careful not to let any highlights on the skin to compete with the major focal points in the eyes, ears and the grin.
Hopefully, the result is a creature that conveys the chilling sense of intelligence and self-awareness that I always found fascinating about H.P. Lovecraft's creations.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

First Annual Lovecraft Society Show in Oakland, CA!

The Blackest Cat
by Eugene Randolph Young
9"W x 12"H
Acrylic on cradled wood panel

Join us for the opening reception of The First Annual Lovecraft Society Show at Bergeron's Books in Oakland, California on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 7pm. Artist and curator Steven Russell Black has once again gathered an inspiring group of professionals to contribute their own visualizations based upon H.P. Lovecraft's science fiction and horror literature.

Bergeron's Books
375 15th Street
Oakland, CA

(808) 635-2624

Friday, September 25, 2015

#karju Show Update

Quick update: With October rapidly approaching,  I'm working hard to make the series the best it can possibly be. Please not that the show reception will be moved to a date later in October. Stay tuned for more info!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

#Karju Solo Art Show Coming to Oakland!

Save the date! My #Karju mini motors n' monsters mash-up solo art show opens Saturday, October 3, 2015 at Lounge 3411 in Oakland, California.


Thursday, July 9, 2015

Croque Debris @ Catahoula Coffee in Richmond

Painting at Catahoula Coffee in Richmond, CA
 I am very happy to announce a small exhibition of croque debris botanical watercolors at Catahoula Coffee in Richmond, California. Thank you to long-time Richmond resident, artist and arts advocate Jerarde Gutierrez for inviting me to show work at this gem of a café. Stop in and enjoy some local color and flavor.


Catahoula Coffee Company
12472 San Pablo Avenue
Richmond, CA 94805

And, if you have time, enjoy a short walk to Mira Vista Park where many of the pieces were painted.

Mira Vista Park
Zara Ave & Mount St
Richmond, CA

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Independence Day



I spent a couple of hours today reviewing the properties of various erodible tip brushes in Photoshop. While I may never use them as a substitute to actual dry media such as charcoal and graphite, it's good to know that I can approximate something very similar if I tweak the settings just right.

I started with loose, broad strokes with one of my favorite "out of the box" bristle brushes while sticking to a grayscale palette. Eventually, a face started to emerge from the the blocks of value.

Next, I continued with a variation of small and large versions of the same brush, changing the opacity and the size along the way. For the more detailed areas around the mouth and eyes, i went with smaller strokes. I used large strokes to further model the larger areas and to differentiate the planes closest to and furthest from the imagined light source.
 The phrase "My boots had no straps" came to mind in response to today being Independence Day and the popular idea that anyone with enough gumption can succeed through sheer will power and persistence. We're told of those who have "pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps" as a way of inspiring some and shaming other who fail due to a lack of hard work.
The prison number and stripes were added in this version on a separate layer as were the stars in an earlier iteration. The stripes and number suggested a hunched, figure in prison garb.

With a little more time, I think I might be able to take this into color and render it to a higher level of finish.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Homebodies Show


I was just invited to participate in this upcoming group show with some phenomenal artists from Quick Draw SF at Mission: Comics & Art in San Francisco. The work will be up on Thursday, July 9, 2015. Stop by and met some folks.

As a former 80s "latch key kid" with two working parents, cable and cats everywhere, the "homebodies" theme of this show really,.. um.. hits home. This will be a brief departure from the my second home in the world of monsters and spaceships, but then again, it might not be... Let the magic begin...

Monday, June 22, 2015

The Eugenery or The Imaginary Creature Shoppe

Since graduation, I've been longing for a space where I might concentrate on nothing other than my art and design projects, whether they be commissions, personal or purely exploratory. I am in a part of Downtown Oakland where I once shopped with my mother and sister at places like Newberry's and Milen's on Telegraph near 19th. This building, with its gleaming marble Art Deco fasçade is across from the Fox Oakland Theater that lay dormant for many years after the 1989 Loma-Prieta quake. I am also close to the Paramont Theater where I saw my first concerts with my Godfather Sam who also lived in Oakland until his passing not too long ago. I saw Atlantic Starr and The Ojays there as well as what I think was a Sesame Street on-stage production with a Batman and Robin cameo. My great-grandfather would also take me to this area when I was small. He lived with my great-grandmother on Milvia right across from Oakland Technical High School into his early 90s.

Oakstop is another "co-working" space that has been in here for over a year. I learned of it last summer around the same time that I was discovering Uptown, the New Parkway Theater, Oakland Art Murmur and the Oakland Drink and Draw. I rent a workstation in the main open area where I can store a few supplies, plug in when I need to work on the computer or throw on the apron and draw or paint. The buzz of activity around me is not unlike the environment at CCAC where cost-cutting measures led to an architectural sham of "open" classrooms in the form of cheap, partitioned bays with false promises of community and collaboration. The result was a constant interdepartmental fight for space and an intolerable noise level during classes. Working in isolation is good, but I need a bit of human contact and space to walk around and stretch my legs from time to time. I expect to be here for a while.

Working here is its own experiment. I've always been in the habit of making work when I don't have work, but getting up and "going to the studio" on my off days is a little tough. It takes discipline to make it a routine.

Things are looking up, but it's hard to shake the shame and depression that comes with chronic underemployment, dependance on family and the challenge of building a freelance illustration and design practice. Things would be so much easier if I could drive a truck or even fling boxes with the stability and security of union behind me. The uneasy and narrow space between fear, hope and confidence somehow fits snugly like a warm coat during this summer of uncertainty.




Monday, June 15, 2015

Vimana in PBS Online Film Festival

Here's a golden opportunity to check out the sci-fi short Vimana online! It is one of 25 films included in the 2015 Online Film Festival. I designed the spaceship, space probe and storyboarded the scenes that included them. As you enjoy the entries, please consider casting your vote for this unique and game-changing jewel of a film!



http://www.pbs.org/filmfestival/all-films/vimana/

Thursday, May 28, 2015

More Carjus!

The mighty "carju" small painting series continues with interpretations of Airwolf and Ark II. I went too far on the Ark II kaiju background, but wolfie is making me smile. He looks ready for action. Working on wood panel has been an absolute joy, but I'm missing the textured canvas board surface used for the first three of the series.

Today, a certain blue Pacer gets the carju treatment. I can't wait to dive in and get to work on it.
#karju #kaiju #carju #monsters #japanesemonsters

The Funk of 40,000 Years Artzine



Good news! I am having a new limited edition printing of The Funk of 40,000 Years zine produced for release in early June. It will have a laminated color soft cover with perfect binding and black and white interior pages. This is an artzine of sorts featuring over 30 sci-fi-inspired interpretations of many of my favorite funk and soul songs of the 70s and 80s. The proof arrives later this week...

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Carju Series

This week, I'm continuing with the "carju" series. The idea started with a series of sketches done for QUICKDRAW SF based on turning my favorite cars and vehicles from various 80s TV shows into kaiju (generally hybrid creatures from the Japanese monster movies, TV shows, manga, anime, etc.).

 I currently have my rendition of Airwolf in progress on a wood panel with most of the underpainting done. The smoother surface has me leaning toward a more graphic approach, emphasizing the shapes and the negative spaces. More to come!

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Down the Rabbit Hole / AL1C3

AL1C3 Tactical Fighter Top View / Aluminum and polymer clay.
 Thank you everyone who came out to support the Down the Rabbit Hole 150th Anniversary of Alice in Wonderland show at Bergeron's Books in Oakland, California. Here are some images of the Alice-inspired AL1C3 Tactical Fighter concept I created for the show and a few snapshots from the reception. I was amazed to see so many people come out to support the show.
AL1C3 Tactical Fighter Top View / Aluminum and polymer clay.


Artist Brie Spielman.



Artist Stephanie Law.


Matt Harding, creator of Pop Apocalypse and Jason Furie of Neverending Radical Dude.

Jerarde Gutierrez.

Addison Duke with his work.

Shayna Yasuhara of Paint Pens Collective.

Curator and participating artist Steven Russell Black.

Megan Lynn Kott and her piece.


Thursday, April 23, 2015

QUICKDRAW SF 1-year Anniversary Celebration

Please join us for the 1-year anniversary of QUICKDRAW SF tomorrow night from 5:30pm-Midnight at F8 (1192 Folsom) in San Francisco. I will have two 5" x 7" original acrylic paintings for sale featuring a Dukes of Hazzard General Lee-inspired "carju" and its never-before-seen mecha version.



 There will be tons of unique and affordable original art and reproductions from most of the past year's featured artists, so come out and support some local talent!

Friday, April 3, 2015

Down the Rabbit Hole

I am deeply honored and very excited to be included in another upcoming group show in Oakland! 

“Down the Rabbit Hole” 
150th Anniversary of Alice in Wonderland show
Bergeron's Books 
375 15th St. Oakland, CA 94612

Opening reception April 10th 7-11

Artists included:

Steven Russell Black, Tony Brown, Addison Duke, Andrew Eric, Jerarde Gutierrez, Sinclair Klugarsh, Justin Lawrence DeVine, Jetti Lewis, Megan Lynn Kott, Betsy Lyon, Chris Mangum, Michael Manomivibul, Brynn Metheney, Adam Miller, Chris Seaman, Jose-Luis Segura, Brie Spielmann, Mary Syring, Jenna Trost, Nate Van Dyke, Allen Williams , Eugene Randolph Young Stephanie Law


Thursday, March 5, 2015

Vimana

VIMANA IS COMING!!

At last! A San Francisco of the award winning indie science fiction short "Vimana" AT CAAMFest 2015. I had the honor of designing the starship and space probe featured in the film during the post-production VFX phase. Congratulations to director Faroukh Virani production manager Alifya Khandwala (Wafa ki Wafa), , visual effects guru Tarek.Tero Saleh (Laika) and 3D-modeler Dzung Nguyen, and everyone else involved in this ground-breaking short.




Get your tickets now!!

http://caamfest.com/2015/films/vimana/