My Studio

[Bruce Lee]

This thread will be a short virtual tour of my art studio. I thought that some of you guys might enjoy seeing where I work. Some of these are older photos taken during a remodeling that took place in 2008, so the studio looks pretty clean and tidy. It usually is well maintained, but it's never really as clean as it is in these photos. Heh. Hope you enjoy the pix. :)


WHERE I WORK

The hallway shelf outside of my studio. Here I keep some Essentials and Showcase volumes, some hardback books, trades, etc.

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio18.jpg

One of my favorite Marvel posters hangs outside the studio, John Buscema's great Marvel Comicon poster from '75:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/marvelcon.jpg


I love me some EC Library volumes:
http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio19.jpg

As you walk through the entranceway:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio4.jpg

If you're wondering, the artwork on my art desk in this photo is the mountains step-by-step I did for the rock tutorial:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/mountains.jpg

A look to the right side of the room:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio3.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio2.jpg

Some original Buscema/Chan CONAN pages hang framed on the walls above my computer desk:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/conanaction1.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/conanpage.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/conannewpage.jpg

Other studio original art that I have framed include Jeremy Dale's awesome Storm, Nate Lovett's killer Dr. Girlfriend/Monarch art, Morganza's incredible X-MEN #137 cover recreation, and Kris Diaz's Harley Quinn. I'll try to take some pix of those pieces soon.

This framed poster hangs to the right of my art desk:
http://christiandivine.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/big_trouble_in_little_china1-full.jpg

And now a glance to the left side of the room:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio5.jpg

Display case:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/hulkbowen4.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio6.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio8.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio9.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio10.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio11.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio12.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio13.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio14.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio15.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio16.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio17.jpg

Guardians of the studio:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio20.jpg

Hulk pulls guard duty:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/hulkbowen3.jpg

http://www.lostonwallace.com/hulkbowen2.jpg

Marx Dinosaurs on the march:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio21.jpg

Beware of this guy walking around. He looks like trouble... ;)

http://www.lostonwallace.com/lostonnow.jpg

Every studio needs some inspiration, so I have some original art hanging on the walls, as well as this little lithograph. John Buscema was the Man (that Ross guy's okay too)!:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/newstudio22.jpg

Superman, Man of Tomorrow tin sign:
http://www.storiescomics.com/STAR08566.jpg

[Eric Henson]

Nice set-up and great Hulk statues!

[Lonrott]

Really great set up. I have boxes and a mess of sorts.
Do you have alternative comics also?

[Bruce Lee]

Really great set up. I have boxes and a mess of sorts.
Do you have alternative comics also?

The bulk of my collection is main stream superhero comics, but I do have a large collection of non-superhero comics. These days I mostly collect vintage comics from the 1960s and 1970s. I have a large collection of '60s Lee/Kirby FANTASTIC FOUR, Lee/Ditko and Lee/Romita AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, early Trimpe-era INCREDIBLE HULK issues, Kirby-era MIGHTY THOR, and Neal Adams era BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS. I have a very large collection of THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN and CONAN THE BARBARIAN comics too. I have all the Wein/Wrightson issues of SWAMP THING, and I have a growing horde of indy books from Warren Publishing-- magazine books like EERIE, CREEPY, and VAMPIRELLA. I have some Golden Age comics from the '50s--mostly EC Comics titles like WEIRD SCIENCE. I have some indy comics from the '80s like ROCKETEER, LOVE & ROCKETS, and a lot of things of that nature. I have some off the wall comics like MILK & CHEESE and a few issues of HATE lying around in a box someplace. I have everything from cartoon books like CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST, BETTY & VERONICA, SPEED BUGGY and a lot of Charlton horror comics, etc.

[Eldeeff]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/luk3y/woah.jpg
Wow. I wish I had such an inviting environment.

[fusciart]

Those EC volumes make my mouth water. I have a couple of the Crypt ones. I have an imac also and they are sweet. Saving up for a 27". Like the Rick Baker Frank desktop too.

[Bruce Lee]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/luk3y/woah.jpg
Wow. I wish I had such an inviting environment.

Thank for the compliment, Luke. I'm glad you think it's inviting. I've spent years trying to make it so. My studio was once consisted of a tiny little art desk, one very cheap desk lamp, a padded folding chair, and two plastic milk crates that served as a make-shift shelf--all tucked into the corner of an apartment bedroom. In the early days of my professional career, I had no money for anything, and I struggled some early on, but for the last decade I've been doing okay for myself. It's taken me 15 years to build up such a fun place to work. With every pro gig I did, I made sure to invest some of the money back into my studio. A reference book here, some art equipment there, and occasionally some toys and other junk for the hell of it. Heh. It's a real morale boost to work in an environment of your own making, and it's a good thing to love what you do for a living. I never take my studio for granted because I worked hard to get it, and I couldn't be more proud of it. :)

[Bruce Lee]

Those EC volumes make my mouth water. I have a couple of the Crypt ones. I have an imac also and they are sweet. Saving up for a 27". Like the Rick Baker Frank desktop too.

I love the EC Library editions, Rich, and I'd love to have the 27" Imac. For now though, I'm very happy with the 24" model. It's proven to be one of my best investments for the studio.

[fusciart]

Those Buscema/Chan pieces are amazing also. I've got a framed Byrne page from Namor on the wall by my drafting table along with a Gene Colan Dracula sketch. I just got to signed prints from Jack Davis and Burne Hogarth I need to frame.

[Bruce Lee]

Those Buscema/Chan pieces are amazing also. I've got a framed Byrne page from Namor on the wall by my drafting table along with a Gene Colan Dracula sketch. I just got to signed prints from Jack Davis and Burne Hogarth I need to frame.

I wish I owned some Gene Colan art--even a sketch would be great! I'd love to see a scan of the Dracula sketch, man! I have many pieces of original art that I still need to frame. After that, I'd have to figure out where I could hang them. heh.

[ajkarp]

What a great tour! I'd like to see more work space or maybe WIP. As it stands a fanboy or girl could spend all day there. (Brace yourselves) They could get "Loston" your world! (Sorry)

[Bruce Lee]

What a great tour! I'd like to see more work space or maybe WIP. As it stands a fanboy or girl could spend all day there. (Brace yourselves) They could get "Loston" your world! (Sorry)

::groan::

I'll be adding some images of some WIP stuff and a few more desk images to this thread in the near future, for sure.

Here's an image of the brush inked LORNA RELIC WRANGLER model sheet that was taken while on my art desk a few months back. Hope you enjoy:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/lornacam.jpg

[SumOne]

love the herculoid figures i wish i had an extra room to make a studio.. for sum reason i feel like a rick flair poster should be there(Prolly coz you have somany classic items)

[Bruce Lee]

love the herculoid figures i wish i had an extra room to make a studio.. for sum reason i feel like a rick flair poster should be there(Prolly coz you have somany classic items)

http://www.lostonwallace.com/flair1.jpg

LOL. I leave all the wrestling memorabilia to my brothers. They're into all that stuff....

...but if I could own one of Ric Flair's robes, I'd wear it around the studio, walking the aisles in style--"stylin' 'n' profilin' "

[basil81]

Pretty sweet...nice to see where it's all done.

[SumOne]

officially the best set up i've seen "nature boy has entered the building" its like what toys r us looked like in the 80's n 90's

[Bruce Lee]

officially the best set up i've seen "nature boy has entered the building" its like what toys r us looked like in the 80's n 90's

Heeh. Believe it or not, more than half of my toy collection is in a huge box in one of the studio closets (alongside a ton of comic magazines). These days I try to give myself a little more space to work and room to breath in my studio than I once had. To see a few more of the action figures, posters, and toys in my collection, check out these photos of my [B]old studio[/B set-up]:

http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio1.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio2.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio3.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio4.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio5.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio6.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio7.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio8.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio9.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio10.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio11.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio12.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio13.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/studio14.jpg
http://www.lostonwallace.com/trans.jpg

[SumOne]

how long have you been collecting im only 20 so im seein toys i use to play with when i was a tyke

[Bruce Lee]

how long have you been collecting im only 20 so im seein toys i use to play with when i was a tyke

I'm twice your age, so you can do the math. ;) Many of the posters, toys, etc in my collection are vintage toys--some older than I am.

[fusciart]

Here's the sketch.

http://fusciart.com/gene-colan-dracula.jpg

[Bruce Lee]

That's an amazing sketch, Rich! Gene always did draw the best Dracula in comicdom, and you can always count on "the Dean" to serve up some great lighting!

Here's something from my art collection I'll share with you. My wife bought me this Brian Bolland ANIMAL MAN preliminary cover for my 30th Birthday a decade ago. Wouldn't trade it for anything. :)

http://www.lostonwallace.com/bolland1.jpg

[amadarwin]

Some advice for you Loston - Do not EVER have kids. Especially one of the male variety. EVER. There will be tears if you do...especially around the age of 3...

[Bruce Lee]

Some advice for you Loston - Do not EVER have kids. Especially one of the male variety. EVER. There will be tears if you do...especially around the age of 3...

LOL! My niece is 10 years old now, but ever since she was around 5 or 6, she enjoys coming to see my upstairs "museum". You see, her parents explained to her at a young age that things in a museum are not for touching, so they told her my studio was like a museum. I guess they were worried that she might accidentally break something. Now I can't think of any worse torture for a kid than to be in a room full of toys that you aren't allowed to touch. That just seems cruel. Toys and junk are meant to be touched and played with. I always told her she could play with anything she wanted to, except for the statues--because they break easily. She and I used to play with all the action figures. LOL. I gave her a full set of my Simpsons action figures years back--Bart, Homer, Marge & Maggie, Lisa, Mr. Burns, Krusty the Clown and the Simpsons' house playset. In the end, they're just plastic. Toys are just junk. My niece is a treasure. :)

[plasticfangs]

Awesome stuff, anmd awesome taste (Big Trouble is in my top 10 Favorite films of all time)!!!

[Bruce Lee]

Awesome stuff, anmd awesome taste (Big Trouble is in my top 10 Favorite films of all time)!!!

I do love that movie. :D

[Selkirk]

really cool setup bro...hey man quick question-you been working out? you look pretty buff in that pic :D. anyways loving the collection-favorite pieces...the vampi poster just rocks and that johnny quest statue is killer.

[Bruce Lee]

I'm trying to lose weight, and I do work out with weights. It's tough trying to get back into shape once you've been a desk jockey for 20 years. I used to be pure muscle without much in the way of body fat. O' to be young again. lol

Gotta love the Vampi poster. It's a honey! The Jonny Quest statues are individual statues that come together to make one scene. There were only 200 of each statue/resin kits made, so I feel lucky to have them! Someday, I'll finish painting them. lol.

Glad you enjoyed the images, Selkirk.

[Bruce Lee]

I'm trying to lose weight, and I do work out with weights. It's tough trying to get back into shape once you've been a desk jockey for 20 years. I used to be pure muscle without much in the way of body fat. O' to be young again. lol

Gotta love the Vampi poster. It's a honey! The Jonny Quest statues are individual statues that come together to make one scene. There were only 200 of each statue/resin kits made, so I feel lucky to have them! Someday, I'll finish painting them. lol.

Glad you enjoyed the images, Selkirk.

[Selkirk]

yeah actually that johnny quest statue just increased by a cool factor of at least 5...after learning it was individual pieces. cool stuff again bro.

[ArmstrongArts]

Cool Bolland piece. Looks like you have more statues thay I do and owed 3 comic book stores.

[alexcat321]

Nice studio, I really love the collection. I have comics and all but mine are in boxes... But I like your stuffz a lot, really inspirational!!

[Bruce Lee]

Thanks, alexcat! I think I have close to 30 long boxes full of comics, and probably about a half dozen short drawer boxes in the studio. I think comics are taking over my life! lol

[GuardianOdin]

a studio to work for! Very cool Loston

[Bruce Lee]

a studio to work for! Very cool Loston

15 years of working pro has built up quite a studio/man-cave.

[GuardianOdin]

I'd totally be that friend that comes over to play with all the cool stuff. :p

[CyberWyld]

Hey Loston, what size is that scanner you have there? What can I expect to pay for something similar?

[Bruce Lee]

Hey Loston, what size is that scanner you have there? What can I expect to pay for something similar?

It is not a cheap scanner. The scanner is a Epson GT-15000.
It's approximately 11.7" X 17" scanner It's 600dpi X 1200dpi
When I bought mine, they were going for around $2100.00. I payed something like $1700 for mine, as I recall. I often hear: "Dudeeee! You paid $1700 for a scanner!??" Yes, I did, and I'm very glad I did. A professional needs professional tools. A DEPENDABLE scanner is a MUST if you're going to be scanning your art as part of your livelihood. $1700 is a lot of dough for sure, but it was a wise investment. It has been a reliable scanner for many years now, and it has served me well on over 4 dozen printed books, and scanning countless commissions and drawings, and other documents. It has been a great asset to my studio, and I'm so glad I have never bothered with Musteks and cheaper, but less reliable scanners.

Today, you might be able to get one for around $1500, or maybe $1099 on Amazon, etc. I know that sounds like an incredible bundle of cash to spend (and I don't recommend spending that much unless your needs warrant it), but in this world you do often get what you pay for. This scanner has been one of the best investments I've made in my career, and it is one of my smartest purchases, looking back.

If you want to have a good studio you must be willing to invest in it. When you make a little money, it pays to put some of that money back into your studio. I've always tried to do that whenever possible.

[CyberWyld]

Well thanks for the info. I need to get an 11x17 for sure. It's hard to justify the cost for a lot of this stuff since I'm not doing it for a living. But I've been putting together a nice stupid over the last 5 years or so. The last 2 things I really need are a Cintiq and a scanner.

[The P.R. Man]

I've been putting together a nice stupid over the last 5 years or so.


man, I've had one of those for over 30 years now, and I use it each and every day

[Bruce Lee]

Well thanks for the info. I need to get an 11x17 for sure. It's hard to justify the cost for a lot of this stuff since I'm not doing it for a living. But I've been putting together a nice stupid over the last 5 years or so. The last 2 things I really need are a Cintiq and a scanner.

A lot of people settle for the cheaper Mustek scanners, which I gather are a mixed bag. They are A3 scanners that can be purchased at a fraction of the cost. I've heard some people say that they typically have a short life span, but because they are much cheaper, it's easier to replace them, and many people have revealed to me that this situation is preferable to having to shell out big bucks on a higher end A3. I've heard all sorts of varying tales about the Musteks. I've heard horror stories that some have lasted only a month or two, and I've heard that some last for years. I've heard that they sometimes quit working for brief periods, etc. I've been told by several people that they're on their 3rd, 4th, or 5th one. I don't know what there warrantees are like, or even if you can get a warrantee with a Mustek. I'm not trying to discourage people from buying a Mustek, but the stories about them vary like flavors of Jelly Beans, and that told me that they are something of a calculated gamble. I chose to invest in a good, reliable scanner that isn't likely to die on me. I do not use my scanner only on occasion. Since 2007 I've used it almost every day, and often very many times a day, scanning roughs and final inks on many, many books for DC, commissions, and even a comic book or two. This scanner has never faltered, and scans brilliantly, just like it did from day one. It is not unusual for me to have used my scanner 20 times in a single day, or even more, when I'm working on books for print, so a reliable scanner is an absolute necessity for me. It has proven to be a very wise investment, given my career choice and need for scanning. Money doesn't grow on trees, but you sometimes have to invest a little in yourself as an artist. If you plan on making a career of it, you need the proper tools to get the job done.

[CyberWyld]

man, I've had one of those for over 30 years now, and I use it each and every day

Holy hell I actually typed stupid instead of studio. hahaha what a dumb ass. I'm not even going to edit it and correct, it's just too blatantly epic and humiliating. hahahaha. Thanks for getting back to me anyways Loston, and thanks for CALL OUT PR! :P

[The P.R. Man]

Mwah ha ha ha. :D

[jeremy dale]

I spent under 300 for my 11 x 17 scanner, and 1)It's not Mustek and 2) it's awesome.

- j

[Bruce Lee]

I spent under 300 for my 11 x 17 scanner, and 1)It's not Mustek and 2) it's awesome.

- j

Tis wizardry!!

Tell your fellow PJers where they too can find such exceptional deals, J. The inquiring minds want to know....here:
http://www.penciljack.com/forum/showthread.php?107469-Help-please-buying-scanner-and-tablet&p=1214769#post1214769