The Gallery of Kyle (jabba359)

[jabba359]

Forgot to add the Usagi and Stan as a Samurai piece I commissioned from Julie at SDCC this year. She did a fantastic job.



Then, today, I attended Palm Springs Comic Con. It was a pretty small convention (though they had some really big names). I added five more signatures to my Sakai Project. One of my favorite artists, Christopher Uminga, was also at the convention and, seeing how slow it was, he had time to do this great Usagi piece for me. I thought he did a great job, especially considering I asked for it only a few hours before the convention closed!

[Mayhem]

Oh you got that piece from Julie, congrats

[maichan]

You have such a diverse collection! I love the Uminga piece.

[Eltanin]

I love the piece from Julie! How sweet!

[jabba359]

Three new pieces from Long Beach Comic Con:

Usagi and Gen by Stéphane Roux
10x14 watercolor



I met Stéphane at Palm Springs Comic Con last month while getting my Sakai Project book signed. After the convention, however, I stayed around to hang out with some artist friends and Stéphane was part of the group. We all had a great time and I enjoyed getting to know Stéphane. So when he came to Long Beach Comic Con this weekend, I stopped by to chat and ended up hanging out with Stéphane after the convention both nights. He's a super nice guy and I was happy to add this piece of art to my collection.

Usagi by Dave Crosland
11x15 ink and watercolor



Dave is a really cool guy as well and I just met him at the Long Beach show. I love his art style (having a very similar type of energy as some of Skottie Young's looser pieces) and I had fun chatting with Dave. He was also on a panel about science and art and I found out that Dave had originally been studying chemistry and physics before becoming a full time artist. Being the science lover that I am, I found this very interesting. Dave says he had a great time doing this commission and that he hasn't drawn Usagi since he was a kid, so enjoyed revisiting the character.

Usagi by Erik Whalen
9x12 ink



Erik is another convention find, as he was tucked away towards the back of artist alley and was doing extremely affordable commissions. I liked his style so asked for an Usagi piece. Erik has self published multiple graphic novels and is continuing to work on his own projects.

[Stan Sakai]

I really enjoy your commentary explaining who each artist is and their relationship to you--where you met them and if you had met or known of their art beforehand.

[Maka]

Those are awesome, Kyle. I enjoy your growing collection of Usagi commissions. So cool.

I bought one of those lifetime memberships to the LBCC three or four years ago but wasn't able to attend last weekend because of work and family. Next year!

Peace, Maka

[maichan]

Count me as another fan of your growing collection. I too like reading about each artist. One day you'll have to host an exhibit of all the commissions you've had done.

[jabba359]

Just got these today as Kickstarter rewards.

Usagi by Wil Panganiban
11x8.5 ink and marker


Steinway (as some sort of swordsman) and Frank (as Jei) by Wil Panganiban
9x6 ink


I first met Wil at the Frank and Sons Sakai Project signing. At the time, he had just put out is first Frank and Steinway book, a comic about the recently unemployed vampire Frank and Frankenstein's monster Steinway. With both monsters being unemployed, Frank moves into Steinway's apartment to help them save on bills, so the book follows their misadventures and the hilarity that ensues in an Odd Couple sort of friendship. Wil was nice enough to give me the first book free of charge. I really enjoyed it and that led to me purchasing the color reprint of the first book, then a couple pieces of original F&S art, becoming a monthly Patreon donor, and then recently helping to fund the Kickstarter campaign for his second book (The Curse of the Vampire Panda!), which is how I got these two pieces of art. I funded at the "commission" level, where I told him to pick whatever he wanted from the Usagi Yojimbo universe. The result is the top contemplative Usagi piece, which I love.

The second piece is the in-book sketch, which was also part of the rewards. I believe I told him to sketch whatever he wanted to, so I was pleasantly surprised when I got the book and had this great Usagi/F&S mashup in the back. I'm also incredibly thrilled with this one and think the costumes fit the two characters perfectly.

[jabba359]

Here are three of the four sketches I got yesterday from Stan at the craft fair. The fourth one is in my Gallery Edition book, but I haven't had a chance to photograph it during the day and my desk lamp has enough spread to only cover a space as large as the Saga books, so I'll have to post that one tomorrow.


I asked for Usagi in his straw rain/snow hat, and Stan drew this wonderful piece.


Gen is my favorite supporting character, so I can never have enough Gen.


Like Maichan, I was debating asking for Sasuke or Kitsune, as I also like to request characters that feature prominently in the story. I figure that Kitsune makes frequent appearances while Sasuke doesn't, so Kitsune would more likely be appropriate for a future volume whereas Sasuke is less likely to appear in the pages of that volume.

With these three sketched in, I'm all caught up with my hardcovers having bonus drawings in them. I want to say thanks to Stan for his continued generosity and patience as he kindly sketches his way through each pile of books I bring to his signings.

[Krash01]

Wao, great sketches Kyle, I like them, especially the raining one!

[maichan]

Like Maichan, I was debating asking for Sasuke or Kitsune, as I also like to request characters that feature prominently in the story. I figure that Kitsune makes frequent appearances while Sasuke doesn't, so Kitsune would more likely be appropriate for a future volume whereas Sasuke is less likely to appear in the pages of that volume.

Great Minds think alike! (Déjà vu)

A great set of sketches - can't wait to see your Gallery sketch!

I want to say thanks to Stan for his continued generosity and patience as he kindly sketches his way through each pile of books I bring to his signings.

Ditto. These are my sentiments too. Stan is really a gracious gentleman in putting up with guys like us!

[Maka]

You guys are so smart. I never thought of asking Stan to sketch a specific character in my books until I saw Kyle do it at the Japanese-American Book Fair. I just ask Stan to sign it and he always graciously added a sketch of his choosing. Learn something every day. These are wonderful. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. Peace, maka

[Eltanin]

Great sketches! Congrats!

[Lobster Johnson]

Fantastic sketches! I particularly like the one of Usagi in the rain.