BACK FROM THE DEAD!

Hi Everybody,
So sorry to keep you all waiting for so long. Elio and I have been hard at work on this book these last many months, and, unfortunately for all of you, we are just penciling and penciling and penciling away at this thing on scenes that we just can't share until the book is released.

These designs have been ripped from the first portfolio of images we ever worked on. Many of these guys and gals won't appear until the second book of EL GRANDE when we get a real gander at the dregs of Bramacas, so consider this a super sneak peak. I have asked Elio to provide you all with a special image just for the blog in the next week or so as well, so let's all hold our breathes for that one.

We hope you're all doing really well out there in TV LAND, and we'll be back with more as soon as it is humanly possible.

Ciao,
joe y elio
www.joekarg.blogspot.com
www.elioguevara.com

SORRY FOR THE DELAY FOLKS.

Things are pretty crazy over here at the EL GRANDE camp. Elio and I are firing on all cylinders, and it's just so hard these days to get a post in. Also, we're working on a batch of pages that we just can't show you now because it's a scene we want to keep secret until the release of the book.

So I hope this doesn't feel too familiar, but I wanted to share a digital color workup I did of one of our early panels. I'm trying to play with any digital painting or corrections that I could do to amplify or match any of the moods or themes in the book. Elio is really using some pretty bold colors at times, and I just want to make sure he has the freedom to go as crazy or reserved as he feels knowing that I can later pop or desaturate the final product. Also it's good to know that you can touch up mistakes, tears, or any other possible damage that could occur on the page.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll try to have some more cool stuff up soon.

Peace,
Joe y Elio
www.joekarg.blogspot.com
www.elioguevara.com

MOEBIUS

GIMENEZ

LIBERATORE

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all enjoyed that last post. I sure left it there long enough :) JA JA JA (Spanish Laughing). It was super cool though. That image is one of my favorites from Elio in a while. So full of texture and character. It's so nice when everything comes together to such a wonderful finish isn't it?

Anyway, Elio is out of the country for a couple more days, and he has already sent me a message to let me know that he has penciled a whopping 12 pages in only a week and a half. I sure can't wait to see them. I hope they make it through customs:)

So since I don't have any new art to share and I know you all come the blog seeking entertainment, education, inspiration, comradery, tax information, spandexification, and awe. I thought it might be nice to share some of the artist's work that Elio and I look at regularly to get our juices flowing.

Up above, in the order they appear, are images from Moebius, Juan Gimenez, and Liberatore. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Ciao,
Joe y Elio
www.elioguevara.com
www.joekarg.blogspot.com

DAMN YOU SCIENCE!  YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME!  TOO FAR!!!!!!

Hi everyone,

Elio and I apologize for the lazy posting lately.  We are both so busy working on the book as well as a million other things.  I'm only weeks from a BFA, Elio's finishing the quarter and preparing for a a show in a latino exhibition this fall, and on top of everything we are both going to be in an additional art exhibition in October as a part of Inhabit Atlanta and The Kool Kids Foundation's fundraising event.  Despite our lack of time and energy though, we know how important it is to keep you all excited for EL GRANDE, so here is our newest addition to the family.

LA GUACAMAYA

This creature was developed for a scene in the 5th chapter of our book where we have a chance to see what's left of the animals in our world outside of the laboratories.  Some time in the past, most of the animals of earth became extinct due to the land destruction and incredible pollution, so humanities answer was to bioengineer a stronger breed of animal to exist in our bleak future.  What happened, unfortunately, was the creation of abominations like these.  Disgusting half-breeds of birds and mammals, fish and insects, rodents and amphibians.  You get the picture.  

So now, the government is doing it's best to catch and dispose of these hideous freaks of nature, but they still plague many areas of the city.  So keep your eyes pealed, and you'll see what GOD never meant you to. 

Hola a todos,

Elio y yo nos disculpamos por la poca cantidad de post últimamente. Los dos estamos muy ocupados trabajando en el libro, así, como en un millón cosas más. En una semana me graduó y me dan mi BFA y Elio esta terminando el quáter y se esta preparando para una exposición de arte latino, y aparte de todo esto, los dos estaremos en una exposición de arte adicional en octubre como parte de Inhabit Atlanta y de The Kool Kids Foundation's.

A pesar de nuestra falta de tiempo y energía, sabemos cuán importante es el mantenerlos entusiasmados acerca de el GRANDE, así que aquí está la más reciente adquisición de la  familia.

LA GUACAMAYA

Esta criatura fue desarrollada para una escena en el capítulo quinto de nuestro libro en  donde se tiene la oportunidad de ver lo que ha quedado de los animales en nuestro mundo. Algún tiempo en el pasado, la mayor parte de los animales de la tierra desaparecieron debido a la gran contaminación. Como respuesta de esta perdida los seres humanos  crearon, utilizando bioingeniería, una casta más fuerte de animal para  que estos pudiesen soportar un ambiente más desolado. Qué sucedió, desafortunadamente, esto  creo una serie de criaturas horribles como ésta. Entiéndase viendo la imagen!!!

Así que ahora, el gobierno hace lo mejor que puede para agarrar y deshacerse de estas criaturas  horrorosas, pero ellos todavía plagan muchas áreas de la ciudad. Así que mantén los ojos bien abiertos y verás lo que DIOS nunca quiso que vieras!!!

Peace,

Joe y Elio

www.elioguevara.com

www.joekarg.com

MORE LAYOUTS YA'LL!

Here are four more sequential layouts from Chapter: 1 of El GRANDE. We see the Totos from the post below getting themselves into a bit of a jam with the local authorities.  Those murdering bastards!  I'm really starting to become disgusted with these drug peddling, violent creepoes.  

Will they live to crime up another Bramacan day, or will they die at the massive bloody hands of the ARM?  Only YOU can find out, when you purchase your very own copy of El Grande Volume One: The Worm in the SUMMER of 2009.  

Thanks for stopping by, and we'll try to have some more fun stuff for you next week.

Peace,

Joe y Elio

www.joekarg.com

www.elioguevara.com

MORE TOTOS!  DIOS MIO!

These designs belong to the opening of our comic book where we see these really bizarre characters manufacturing the drug AZUL (unusual psychological and physical effects, which include visuals of colored patterns behind the eyes, a sense of time distorting, crawling geometric patterns, the loss of the user's sense of identity as well as prolonged system functions, minor tissue rejuvenation, and an increased appetite).  

We wanted their design to be interesting and a little flashy, but nothing that would take away from our main characters and their looks, so you'll notice that one feature of their costume is highlighted; the mask.   

Much of El Grande and Elio's personal work has a reflection of the earth and the creatures that live here, and this one is no different.  Pulling from the baboon family, these characters are truly a monkey's uncle.  Making drugs is no line of work for any respectable person; even in the corrupt city of Bramacas.

Also featured in the above illustration is a vat of pure Azul and the machine that gives it it's trademark color.  Just wait until you see what these nasty little bastards are capable of.  I think you're going to like it.

Ciao,

Joe y Elio

elioguevara.com

joekarg.com

COLORS COLORS COLORS!!

Hola Todos,

I hope you're all having a wonderful Tuesday out there wherever you may be.  Elio and I have been hard at work the last week throwing down ten rounds a day in the El Grande ring.  This book fights dirty too; let me tell you.  It's prison rules on the streets of El Grande.  No holds barred baby.

We're getting some really flashy stuff lined up to share with you a the end of the week, but for now, I hope these color layouts satisfy your hunger.  Elio pulled some amazing stuff out of these and many others.  We have a colored layout for every page of the book, and three or four for some of them.  Be ready for the "EL GRANDE PREPRODUCTION BOOK."  So for all of you who have been asking, "YES", there will be huge preproduction book released soon after the first volume is printed, and it's going to be loaded to the brim with this type of material as well as designs and illustrations that will not be posted on the blog.

Come back on Friday for some more design illustrations.  I'll go ahead and tell you its going to be some new weird space suits, so don't miss it.

Peace,

Joe y Elio

www.elioguevara.com

www.joekarg.com

BACK FROM SAN DIEGO COMIC CON!!!

Hi Everyone,

Well we're back from SDCC, and do we have some information to share with all of you.  First of all, let me start by thanking all the professionals that gave us their time.  Derek Thompson, Ted Mathot, Robin Mitchell, Sean Galloway, Kent Williams, Scott Morse, Tommy Lee Edwards and Kevin Eastman.  You guys gave us some amazing information that has already affected the look and structure of EL GRANDE.

Now some con sketches.

This first one is from Chris Bivins.  He had an amazing show this year.  It was his first SDCC, and he got some amazing responses to his work by just about every single industry professional including Marcelo Vignali, Stephen Silver, Louie Del Carmen, and Sean Galloway.

These next images are from our own Elio Guevara.  He really did some of the nicest pieces of the trip.  What he's able to pull off with that damn bamboo is so amazing.

Last but now least, here are a couple pages out of my sketchbook.  I would like to share more, but I have a tendency to draw relatively inappropriate subject matters for the blog.  It's something I'm working on.  I promise :)

NOW FOR SOME FUN PHOTOS!!!!

This first one is of me and Rob McElhenney; the creator of "IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA."  This was honestly the highlight of my trip.  "Always Sunny" is one of my favorite shows on television.  Rob was totally cool about the picture, but he wasn't about to stop playing "AFRO SAMURIA."  HA HA HA.

Next up is a picture with Samurai Jack himself, Phil LaMarr.  I totally spotted him just walking the floor and we pounced like wild jackals.  First up was Elio.

Then Daniel Holland and I were ready.  I think I was more ready than Dan.  I don't know why.  (Joe Karg, Phil LaMarr, Daniel Holland.)

Here's one of all of us outside on the second level of the convention center.  It was really nice up there.  Chris had just come from the floor where David Coleman wrote "Get your ass to LA" in Chris' book.  It was awesome.  (Chris Bivins, Elio Guevara, Adam Ford, Joe Karg.)

Giant Bartman. 'Nuff Said.

Next up is a pic of me grabbin some sweet Adam Ford titty next to my man Bivins in front of San Diego's lovely Gas Lamp district.  Awesome!

What's that you say internet?  You want to see semi attractive girls looking 1000 times hotter as some of DC's most famous and infamous.  Well ask no more.

Then HULK almost smashed mine and Adam's faces in.  I almost forgot about that.  HULK is big time jerk.

FAT VADER.  PRICELESS.

Here's another one of the whole gang together at the Beach City Market at Horton Plaza.  The only one missing is Bryan Wynia, but he's up next, so don't worry. (Daniel Holland, Chris Bivins, Joe Karg, Adam Ford, and Elio Guevara.)

Without further adoo-doo, here's the wonderfully talented Bryan Wynia and Elio Guevara.  Bryan just started working for Gentle Giant studios like a month ago, and we're all super proud of him.  You're amazing Bryan.

My god, what else.  Here's one of the sea of people.  GET OUT OF OUR WAY!!!!  WE'VE COME HUMP FURRIES DAMN DAMN IT!!!

Here's my second favorite moment of the con.  I got to meet Bennett from "COMMANDO."  I have no idea what his real name is, but I've seen "COMMANDO" like 800 times, so this moment gave me like half a chub.  No kidding :)

And finally, here's one of Me, Elio, and Ford saying goodbye to that god forsaken building on day four of the show.  We proceeded to go drink heavily for the next 8 hours before our flight.  It helped :)

That's it you vultures.  Thus concludes "EL GRANDE'S" SDCC 2008 coverage.  Once again, we had an awesome time talking with everyone we met and seeing some amazing artwork and buying some crazy books.  Also, we walked like 32 miles in four days, and I still can't feel my left pinky toe, so I think I'll be busy for the next twelve months training for next year.

One last thing, we did buy a booth for next year's con, so expect to see us there with                 EL GRANDE Volume One:  THE WORM.  We'll be working on making it the best book possible for the next 8 months, and be sure that we'll be posting every single week during that time to keep all of you as excited as we are about this project.

Peace,

Joe y Elio

www.elioguevara.com

www.joekarg.com

SDCC HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello El Grande Fans,

Elio is finally back from the jungle, and he's brought with him 14 new penciled pages from Chapter One of our book. I got to salivate all over them yesterday, and I have to say, they are some of his best drawings to date. I don't know what they were feeding him in that village, but I hope he brought some home.

As you all know, next week is San Diego Comic Con, and Elio and I have decided to use these next seven days to let you all know that we will be there, and we will be showing original pages and designs at the entrance of HALL A on Friday and Saturday of the convention. We will be there from 2:00PM to 4:00PM on both days and we would be happy to talk with any of you about the project and even do a quick sketch or two of our characters for free if you'd like. We will also have some never before seen art to show, so come check us out. We'd really like to meet some of you guys and gals.

Make sure to look for our shirts with the EL GRANDE logo on the front, and the WORM in his space suit on the back; as seen above.

The image above is of our limited edition postcard that we will be passing out for free as well at the show. So you can't beat that right? Come and see us, and you get to check out some sweet art, get a free postcard, and a free sketch.

We hope to see a bunch of you there,
Joe y Elio

www.elioguevara.com
www.joekarg.com

Hey Everyone,
Elio is still south of the boarder for another 5-6 days, but I've got some cool stuff to you show you. This is a partial page from chapter two. I think these will be the final panels I show you from this scene before it's published. I feel like we may have shown too much as it is, but you guys have really only seen the tip of this iceberg believe me.

I get so excited when I think of all the things we've been able to keep secret so far. When you finally read the book next year, you will think we're magicians the way we've disguised so much of the plot from you.

I personally think it's a cooler experience to see the book this way first. It really lets you all use your imaginations and try to piece together what could possibly be happening. Then, when you read the book, you'll be able to way your own theories against the actual information.

Cool stuff right?:) I hope you're all doing good out there. I'm going to post a page later in the week that you haven't seen completed yet, and as an added bonus, it will feature the first word balloons to be shown on the blog.

Peace,
Joe y Elio
www.joekarg.com
www.elioguevara.com