Champions cover process post.

Hey everyone! 

I jut found out Marvel announced my variant cover for the new Champions series. Turns out, it's going to be VERY rare and hard to find! 

I had no idea! 

In any event, here's a making-of post for all you Process Junkies out there (like me!). 

Hope you enjoyed it! 

Best, 

Mike

A Horse walks into a bar....

So, I'm back from my Midtown Comics signing in New York, and I gotta tell you... it was fantastic! 

Thanks to everyone who came out and said "Hi!", bought comics, and put up with the long line and the heat!

Thank you, New York! 

I also did an interview with them for the Midtown podcast. Go listen to it, and the title of this blog post will make sense. Also, I'm sorry in advance for it ;-)

best,

Mike

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Process post: The making of a really gross cover. AKA The cover to Deadpool 21.

Hey all! 

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't read Deadpool 16, or seen the cover to 21, you may want to skip this post...

Still here? Ok, cool. 

So, now that the cat is out of the bag concerning Madcap, I figured I'd share a detailed process post on the making of the cover to Deadpool 21. 

I laid it out with Col Erase light blue, went in with some grey Copics, and tightened things up with ink. 

Hope you enjoy the process pics, as well as Deadpool #16. 

Best! 

Mike

War and Peace sketchbook review!

If you're an art supply junkie, like me, you  may have heard of Ana at the Well Appointed Desk. I personally love her podcast Art Supply Posse because she really knows her stuff!



Well, she reviewed my sketchbooks and love it! Check it out! 

Don't miss out, order your set right here by using the store link at the top, right. Or go to the Story Supply store. 

Thanks!
Mike


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Happy National Coloring Book Day, from me and Story Supply Co.!

In honor of #NationalColoringBookDay here is a coloring page, part of the cover art for my StorySupply sketchbook.

You can also download a PDF version of it here. 

Enjoy!

best,
Mike



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New York! I'm coming for you!

New York fans! I'm coming to the Big City for a signing at Midtown Comics! I'll be there Friday, August 26 at 6 PM to 8PM. 

More info here.  While you're there, let Midtown know you're coming by hitting the "Going" button. 

Hope to see many of you there!

best,

Mike

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How not to step on dreams.

A few weeks back I shared a story on Twitter about an encounter I had with a young artist, and how I almost screwed the whole thing up. I'm happy to say it worked out in the end, but I wanted to share this with you as a reminder of how easily we can discourage the people who need encouragement the most! 

There you have it. 

Please, if you are called on to encourage a young artist, DO IT! Costs you nothing, but it can mean the world to a person with ideas. 

Also, this story serves as an example for how kids need a hero that they can relate with. I'm happy we have heroes like LeSean to inspire young black artists trying to come up in comics and animation. Much respect to LeSean! 

Best, 

Mike

Geppi Museum art exhibition!

Hey everyone!

Big news! The Geppi Entertainment Museum in Baltimore (right next to Camden Yards) just hung an exhibition of my work! 

Here are a few sneak peeks. 

The Museum is a sight to behold, the collection is amazing, and the building is beautiful, so I'm thrilled and honored to get to show some work there. 

The exhibition is to open this coming Wednesday (July 13th), and the show is to run three months. It'll feature more than 25 pieces of art, including covers and double page spreads. All the good stuff! So, if you're coming to Baltimore (maybe for the upcoming Comicon?) for anything please stop by and check it out. 

best,

Mike

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Deadpool #15 sneak peek

Hey everyone,

Marvel released a preview for Deadpool 15, so it's safe to share the pencils for all you process junkies out there that enjoy seeing the inner workings.

I had Miles in that last scene, mostly cause my son digs him, but we needed to pull him for story reasons. 

Enjoy! 

Mike

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War and Peace sketchbooks are now available!

Hey everyone! 

We got the sketchbooks in from the printer and I couldn't be happier! The quality is fantastic, I'm thrilled with how everything came out. The folks at Story Supply Co. did a great job putting this together, and are now doing a great job fulfilling orders! I'm already hearing from folks who ordered during the pre-order period and have received their sketchbooks.

I've been busily signing and sketching up the pre-orders. Check it out! 

Some custom sketch orders:

Some "random sketch" orders: 

I'm hearing from folks who want signed or sketched in books but missed the preorder period. I'm sorry if you missed out on the chance to get a sketched or signed edition. The pre-order period can't last forever. I wish it could, but I'd have to quit my job just to keep sketching and signing these things! 

We do have a bit of good news on that front! I'll be signing and sketching at upcoming sketchbook events. The first will be our launch party at Hive Artspace in York City, PA this Friday (July 1st) starting at 5pm. 

More events are in the works, and I'll post here when the time comes. 

Thanks to EVERYONE who supported this project with your pre-orders! I can't thank you enough! You helped make the launch of this line a big success! THANK YOU!! 

To everyone else out there: Please support this creator owned project of mine! Not only will you get TWO sketchbooks from each set (with both the War and Peace covers) but for each set sold we donate one free sketchbook to a young artist in a struggling city school art program. You'll help to provide a sketchbook to a kid with ideas! 

Order right here by clicking the icon at the top right of this page, or go to the Story Supply Co. store - http://www.storysupplyco.com/products/war-and-peace-by-mike-hawthorne

And thank you! 

Best,

Mike

Today is the day!

Today is the DAY! We're to get the sketchbooks from the printer today! I want to thank EVERYONE that pre-ordered! You're the absolute best! 

I'll begin signing and sketching in the sketchbooks this weekend & Story SupplyCo. will start shipping orders very soon! 

For everyone that wants a set of sketchbooks, you can now buy them here, or using the widget right here on the blog, at the top right hand side. 

Support this line so we can support young artists! For every set you buy we will donate one sketchbook to a student in need. 

Thanks again to everyone!

Best,

Mike

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Last chance!

Hey everyone! 

It's official, the War & Peace editions of my sketchbook collaboration with Story Supply Co. is at the printer! That means that the pre-order period, and your chance to get the sketchbook signed or sketched in by me, is almost gone! 

The pre-order period is officially over on Monday, June 20th, so if you want to secure a set your time is running out. Get on it! After this there is no guarantee you'll be able to get a signed or sketched-in edition (unless you can make it to one of our upcoming events).

Pre-order here, or just use the button here on the site at the top right hand side. 

Best!

Mike

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Deadpool 14 preview

Process junkies, rejoice!  Here are some Deadpool 14 preview pages, before Terry and Jordie work their magic on them! 

You can see and enjoy the inked, lettered, and colored preview here. 

Enjoy!

Mike

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War and Peace sketchbook edition FAQ

Hey everyone, 

We've gotten some questions about the upcoming sketchbooks with Story Supply Co., and I've noticed some confusion I want to clear up. 

1. The War and Peace edition is a limited edition sketchbook. So, once we sell out there is NO GUARANTEE that you'll be able to get a set. 

Some folks are taking a "waiting and see" approach with this, which is a mistake. I can't stress enough, this is NOT like in comics where you can wait for the trade. If you want to be SURE to get these limited edition sketchbook you gotta pre-order. 

2. Only the pre-ordered sketchbooks are GUARANTEED to be signed. Once the pre-orders are done, there is NO guarantee of getting a signed edition, unless you can personally come to one of our events for the sketchbook. 

Same goes with the sketches inside the sketchbooks. If you want me to sign and sketch in your special edition sketchbooks you MUST pre-order and choose one of the two sketch options.

3. If you choose the $50 sketch option I will do a sketch in one of your sketchbooks. 

Which leads me to...

4. With your pre-order you get BOTH the War AND Peace sketchbook, NOT one or the other. They come as a set of two. Each SET sold also means we donate one sketchbook to a young artist.

5. I don't currently doing commissions, but if you choose the $100 sketch option for the set I will do one sketch, character of your choice, in one of the sketchbooks. So, basically a commission, with the pre-order.

If you have any questions the folks at Story Supply Co. and I would love to answer them, and we hope you choose to support this important project! But you have to jump on this before all the pre-order options are gone! 

Pre-order here - http://www.storysupplyco.com/products/war-and-peace-by-mike-hawthorne

Thanks!
Mike

"War and Peace"! My new line of sketchbooks, with Story Supply Co.

Ready for the BIG NEWS regarding my new project with The Story Supply Co.?! 

WAR

PEACE

Well, here it is! I’ve developed a line of sketchbooks in conjunction with the folks at Story Supply Co.! Each sketchbook will have a full wrap around cover by me. I’ve designed it around a two-word theme, in this case it’s “War and Peace”. 

http://www.storysupplyco.com/products/war-and-peace-by-mike-hawthorne

This project is very special to me. Growing up a very poor kid the one thing that changed the course of my life was drawing. When I entered the art program at William Penn High School one of the first things given to me was a free sketchbook. It may have seemed like a small thing to my teachers, but to me it meant the world. I filled up sketchbook after sketchbook, and they always had a new one to replace the old. 

Now I draw for a living and I’m in the position to return the favor. For every set of “War and Peace” sketchbooks sold Story Supply Co. and I will donate one free sketchbook to a young artist. Our first batch of books is destined for my old High School art program, run by my one-time teacher (and one of my heroes) Joan Inman. 

If you follow me on social media you know how much I love to sketch. I wanted to make a sketchbook I’d lover to draw in. Story Supply and I have worked hard to make this sketchbook as great as it can be. I got to hand pick paper stocks with them, hammer out the design, and let my mind loose on the coolest covers I could think of. Story Supply is putting it all together and have nailed down every detail, down the color of the staples holding this beauty together! 

I hope you will too, and that you’ll support us on this crazy new venture we’ve cooked up! 

Thanks!

Best,

Mike

PS - I don’t often do commissions, and rarely attend cons, so pre-order early if you want one of the sketch options! 

New project with Story Supply Co.!

I have a new project with The Story Supply Co. in the works, soon to be announced! 

Stay Tuned.

Mike

FCBD!

Happy Free Comic Book Day!

I'll be at Comix Connection York from 11 - 2, and The Comic Store Lancaster from 4 - 6

We're also doing a food and toy drive at Comix Connection. Top food donator at today's food drive (during my DCBD signing at Comix Connection - York) wins this drawing!

Come by and say hi! 

Best!

Mike

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