Kevenn T. Smith 5/7/12 Kevenn T. Smith 5/7/12

So Super Duper KickStarter Campaign

Brian Andersen has launched a KickStarter campaign to collect his comics So Super Duper and Reignbow and Dee-Va in collected trade formats with earliler issues of the So Super Duper comic re-colored and re-lettered by artist extraordinaire, Celina Hernandez. Since my artwork is featured in three issues of So Super Duper, and one of them is an entire story that I wrote and illustrated, I hope you'll consider donating to the campaign to raise money to help pay for the extensive upgrades and printing! You can learn more here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1366461100/so-super-duper-and-reignbow-and-dee-va-trade-colle

Kevenn T. Smith 3/11/12 Kevenn T. Smith 3/11/12

Purrrr-Fect Eartha by Kevenn T. Smith

This piece has been living in my head for a while now, demanding to be made. Eartha Kitt, as a performer, thrills me. I think our world is a suckier place since she passed away in 2008. She is my second favorite live-action Catwoman. (I have to cop to Michelle Pfeifer's psychologically driven performance in Batman Returns as my favorite.) However, I think Eartha's Catwoman is the most fun and slinky Catwoman of all. When Julie Newmar (whom I also loved) bowed out of the 60's Batman series in its third season, casting Eartha Kitt was a no-brainer. Look at her album covers from the fifties and sixties - she already WAS Catwoman. Eartha Kitt was a global citizen years before the rest of us started to get onboard. She spoke four languages and sang in seven.

She was the kind of celebrity that is becoming extinct - one with a truly individual voice, the likes of Bea Arthur, Phyllis Diller, Grace Jones, and Carol Channing. Nowadays, vocal sounds are so homogenized. There's rarely any character and distinction in a lot of the voices I hear in mainstream singers and celebrities. I feel like everyone is too busy trying to be "hot" to be distinctive. You can't tell me Eartha Kitt's voice wasn't hot.

This piece is after Eartha's 1957 cover of Norsk Dameblad magazine. I chose red and leopard print for the background colors because Catwoman's lair in the Batman series had red drapery and a leopard print upholstered chair. This illustration is available at my RedBubble.com store.
Eartha Kitt as Catwoman by Kevenn T. Smith
Pencil, ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2012
Catwoman ©DC Entertainment 2012

Kevenn T. Smith 2/21/12 Kevenn T. Smith 2/21/12

Costume/Character Design: Antigone

I recently served as the costume designer for Brunswick High School's production of Sophocles' Antigone. Antigone was actually the very first play I did designs for in costume design class back in school, so this was the perfect opportunity to get out my old renderings and bring some of those concepts to life.

You can view my original desgins along with photos of the actors in costume at the Antigone Gallery.

©Kevenn T. Smith 2012

Kevenn T. Smith 1/15/12 Kevenn T. Smith 1/15/12

Dark Knight Daughter: The Huntress by Kevenn T. Smith

In the late 70's and early 80's, the character of The Huntress that appeared in DC Comics was Helena Wayne, the daughter of Batman and Catwoman on the alternate Earth known as Earth-2. She was a member of the Justice Society and also had her own series of back-up stories in the Wonder Woman comic book. DC Comics has just announced that the Earth-2 Huntress character will be appearing in a title called "World's Finest," alongside her best friend, Power Girl, also an Earth-2 character.

I thought I'd take the opportunity to dust off this old piece and give it a touch-up. I was never quiet 100% happy with the way it looked before. It was one of the first times I had tried to color digitally - with the background - while integrating it with hand colored aspects - The Huntress herself. I didn't feel like the two "meshed" together as well as I'd like. Now, after going back, I'm a lot happier with the final outcome.

This illustration is available as 8 by 12 inch prints on regular photo paper $20 + $8 shipping; or on metallic photo paper (which I highly recommend, because the quality is vastly superior!)for $25 + $8 shipping. Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request one and inquire further about pricing and sizes.

Pencil, ink, Prismacolor color pencil, and Photoshop
Huntress ©DC Comics 2012

Kevenn T. Smith 12/14/11 Kevenn T. Smith 12/14/11

Illumina: Eternian Solstice by Kevenn T. Smith

I did this piece for the Illumina Day fan project in support of awareness of the character of Illumina for the Masters of the Universe Classics toy line, of which I'm a big fan of. Illumina was a character created by Val Staples and Emiliano Santalucia and slated to appear in MV Creations' 200x era He-Man and the Masters of the Universe comic book, and even appeared in print in an in-house ad, before things behind the scenes prevented her appearance. Illumina was going to be a heroic Gar warrior, also gifted with powers of light, who was trapped on the Dark Hemisphere when the Mystic Wall went up, keeping Skeletor locked away for years. Many fans hope she will win the upcoming fan choice contest from Mattel and will receive a figure in the MOTU Classics line.

I listened to a lot of holiday music as I was making this piece, and I get a Holiday feeling from it. Since Illumina can light up the dark, I thought a lot about the Winter Solstice, and how it's the longest period of darkness in the year. I'm sure Eternia has its own version of the Winter Solstice, with a longest night of the year. Illumina, herself, spent many years confined to the dark half of Eternia with precious little light. I feel like there's a sense of hope in this piece that accompanies the Winter Solstice. A hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Pencil, ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 12/5/11 Kevenn T. Smith 12/5/11

Tik-Tok: Robot Army of Oz

My latest piece of artwork is one I've been wanting to do for a while, and I finally made time in my schedule to transfer the image I had for so long in my head to a more physical form. Tik-Tok is actually literature's first robot. A clockwork machine man, Tik-Tok first appears in the book Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum. He is rescued by Dorothy Gale from being run-down and locked away in a hidden room and proceeds to have several adventures with her. Eventually, Tik-Tok takes up residence in Oz as one of the many unique inhabitants of the royal palace in the Emerald City. Tik-Tok was also a featured character in the movie, Return to Oz, starring Fairuza Balk as Dorothy.

I drew Tik-Tok once before on a cover for Oziana Magazine in 2005, but I wanted to think more about the reality of his joints. I also wanted to use aspects of his design by John R. Neill and how he appeared in Return to Oz, for instance giving him emerald green glassy eyes and making his hat more resemble and army helmet from World War I. The text is also an homage to pop singer, Simon Curtis, who refers to his fans as the "Robot Army."

This piece is available as greeting cards, post cards, prints and posters at RedBubble.com!
Pencil, ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

The Tik-Tok illustration is also available as t-shirts, hoodies, kids' clothes, and stickers in assorted sizes, colors, and styles at RedBubble.com!

Pencil, Ink, Photoshop
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 9/16/11 Kevenn T. Smith 9/16/11

The Blonde Squad

This is a pin-up that I did for the forthcoming Blonde Squad issue #2 comic book by Michael Troy. This piece shows the Blonde Squad: Blonder Man, Drain, Psight, and Speedbump in their natural habitat, the Red Carpet, while their arch-foe, Dark Swan, menaces them from above.

The Blonde Squad comic book is a fun take on celebrity culture using superheroes. For this pin-up, I wanted to really find my own take on these characters, and I had a lot of fun with that, especially on Speedbump, whose back had never been shown in any source material I'd seen. That gave me the opportunity to express his cheeky nature there.
Blonde Squad by Kevenn T. Smith ©Kevenn T. Smith 2011My take on the Blonde Squad Team is also available on T-shirts, hoodies, and stickers in assorted styles, colors, and sizes at RedBubble.com!
Blonde Squad T-Shirt by Kevenn T. Smith ©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 7/6/11 Kevenn T. Smith 7/6/11

A Happy Birthday

Today is my sister's birthday, and part of my birthday celebration is showcasing this artcard I did of her a couple years ago for a Christmas present. She and my sister-in-law wanted pictures of themselves dressed in Victorian style dresses. So that's what I did! Happy Birthday, Little Sister!

And here's the one of my sister-in-law - just to complete the pairing:

Both pieces 5.5 x 4.25 inches.
Pencils, inks, Prismacolor color pencils
©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 6/27/11 Kevenn T. Smith 6/27/11

Site Remodeling

I've switched servers for my website, so right now, not all of the areas previously available on my site are up. The blog is still here. Also, my store at RedBubble.com is still up, so you can buy any items there in the meantime.

Thanks for your patience!

Kevenn T. Smith 6/3/11 Kevenn T. Smith 6/3/11

The Sea Fairies Illustration by Kevenn T. Smith

This is an illustration that depicts a moment in L. Frank Baum's 1911 book, The Sea Fairies. At this point, Baum had written six Oz books and wanted to write other stories. He wrote The Sea Fairies about a young girl named Trot and her friend, an old peg-legged sailor named Cap'n Bill, visiting the mermaids and exploring the ocean. Yes, it was decades before Finding Nemo and Disney's Ariel. The book is mostly travelogue in nature until the last third, when the plot about an underwater villain really kicks into gear. This image features the mermaid, Merla, swimming with Trot and Cap'n Bill, who have been transformed into merfolk themselves, by the magic of the mermaid sea fairies.

Baum followed The Sea Fairies with Trot and Cap'n Bill's further adventures in Sky Island, which is one of my favorite books by him. Oz characters Button Bright and Polychrome appear in the book. However, Baum's readers wanted more Oz, and so he resumed the series. Trot and Cap'n Bill traveled to Oz in the ninth book of the series, The Scarecrow of Oz, and joined the cast of Oz characters for the following books. I consider these two "spin-off" books to be essential to Oz reading.

A grayscale edition of this illustration will be featured in the program for 2011's Winkie Convention. Programs are available for purchase here. The original colored art piece is debuting framed and matted today (Friday June 3rd) in the Lakewood, Ohio Beck Center for the Arts Student Art Show. The piece will be on display in the lobby until the end of July. It is also available for sale. Contact me for pricing information. This image is also available as cards, postcards, prints, and posters on RedBubble.com!

8 x 11 inches bristol board.

Pencil, ink, Prismacolor color pencil.

©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 4/6/11 Kevenn T. Smith 4/6/11

WonderCon 2011 Wrap-Up

I had an amazing time at WonderCon! I got to meet so many people who were more than nice and see some great talent there. I'd say it was an absolute success. Thanks to all who came by the booth and supported us. I made 3 artcards right before WonderCon, and one of them sold, and I wanted to spotlight them here. First up is Psyche from Brian Andersen's So Super Duper. This image is now available as cards, prints and Posters at RedBubble.com!

4.25 x 5.5 inches cardstock.

Pencil, ink, Prismacolor pencil.

©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Speaking of So Super Duper, I had the opportunity to go by Whatever Comics in the Castro, and issue #11 of So Super Duper with my 10 page back-up story was on display in the front window! You can't miss the hot pink cover:

Issue #11 of Brian Andersen’s So Super Duper is on sale at the shop at Prism Comics.com and Indy Planet.com!!! The 10 page back-up story that I wrote and created the artwork for is lettered by Ray Caspio (who also has a pin-up illustration in this issue!). Just click on the preview thumbnail images below to enlarge them.

All artwork and images ©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Another artcard I did was of DC Comic's Batwoman. For this artcard, I wanted to capture some of the "feel" of J.H. Williams III's art in the Batwoman stories that he illustrates. This image is now available as prints. Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request one and inquire further about pricing and sizes.

4.25 x 5.5 inches cardstock.

Pencil, ink, Prismacolor pencil.

Batwoman ©DC Comics 2011

The third card that I made before WonderCon was of one of my favorites, She-Ra. I also couldn't resist the chance to illustrate the Whispering Woods backgrounds from the She-Ra cartoon again.

4.25 x 5.5 inches cardstock.

Pencil, ink, Prismacolor pencil, Prismacolor marker.

She-Ra ©Mattel 2011

UPDATE: Brian Andersen wrote about his own experience at WonderCon and mentioned me in the write-up over at Comicbook Queers.com. Take a look!

Kevenn T. Smith 3/31/11 Kevenn T. Smith 3/31/11

WonderCon 2011 Reminder

Just a reminder that I'll be attending WonderCon 2011 in San Francisco April 1-3! I’ll be at Table #610 in the Artist's Alley helping to promote the So Super Duper comicbook. I’ll also be selling some of my artwork there. I’ll be selling original art cards (each are unique and handmade!) and I’ll have 5 prints of the DC Heroines 2007 and 1 print of the DC Villainesses 2007 available for purchase. This is your chance to buy these pieces without having to pay for shipping!

I'll also be volunteering at the PRISM Comics booth on Sunday from 10AM to 1PM. I hope to see you there!

Kevenn T. Smith 3/3/11 Kevenn T. Smith 3/3/11

WonderCon 2011

I'm pleased to announce that I'll be attending WonderCon 2011 in San Francisco April 1-3! I'll be at Brian Andersen's CBG Comics table helping to promote the So Super Duper comicbook. I'll also be selling some of my artwork there. I'll be selling original art cards (each are unique and handmade!) and I'll hopefully have a handful of prints of the DC Heroines 2007 and 1 or 2 of the prints that are left of the DC Villainesses 2007 available for purchase. This is your chance to buy these pieces without having to pay for shipping! I hope to see you there.

Kevenn T. Smith 1/31/11 Kevenn T. Smith 1/31/11

Gay.com Reviews So Super Duper #11

Gay.com reviewed So Super Duper issue #11. They seemed to have liked the issue! And they were even kind enough to mention my back-up story in it.

You can still buy So Super Duper #11 at Indy Planet.com or now also at Prism Comics. Just search for So Super Duper!

Kevenn T. Smith 12/24/10 Kevenn T. Smith 12/24/10

Shh! Santa Scraps Is Sneaking by Kevenn T. Smith

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! This artcard is my way of saying "thank you" for all the support from so many people that I have been given this past year for my work. It's been quite a year for me, and I am very grateful for what I've been able to accomplish. Whichever of the Holidays you may celebrate this time of year, if any, I hope you find peace and love in your life. Thank you. So please enjoy this illustration of Scraps, the Patchwork Girl of Oz, sneaking as Santa underneath the Christmas tree.

This artcard is available as cards, prints and posters at RedBubble.com!

Kevenn T. Smith 12/9/10 Kevenn T. Smith 12/9/10

Prism Comics Mentions So Super Duper #11

Prism Comics has a short buzz article about the latest issue of So Super Duper - which is issue #11, and they even mention the back-up I did with Ray Caspio. Check it out here!

And remember, you can buy So Super Duper #11 at Indy Planet.com or now also at Prism Comics. Just search for So Super Duper!

Kevenn T. Smith 12/7/10 Kevenn T. Smith 12/7/10

So Super Duper #11 Is Now On Sale!!!!!

It's finally here! Issue #11 of Brian Andersen's So Super Duper is now on sale at Indy Planet.com!!! Not only does this issue contain a riveting story written by Brian Andersen and art by Celina Hernandez, but it also features a 10 page back-up story that I wrote and created the art work for, with lettering by Ray Caspio (who also has a pin-up illustration in this issue!). Still not convinced you need this issue? The link at Indy Planet.com gives you a 6 page preview of the main story, and here, I'm giving you a 2 page preview of my 10 page story. Just click on the thumbnail images below to enlarge them. Enjoy!

And don't forget that you can still buy a t-shirt with my take on Psyche & Comet from my illustration from So Super Duper #10 in various styles (hoodies too!), colors and sizes at RedBubble.com, where from now until December 25th, all white apparel is 20% off!

Psyche & Comet From So Super Duper T-Shirt by Kevenn T. Smith

So Super Duper 11 TM and © Brian Andersen. All rights reserved.

All artwork and images ©Kevenn T. Smith 2010

Kevenn T. Smith 12/4/10 Kevenn T. Smith 12/4/10

Psyche & Comet From So Super Duper T-Shirt by Kevenn T. Smith

Issue #11 of Brian Andersen's So Super Duper will be coming out very soon. I have an original 10 page So Super Duper back-up story in it that I wrote and drew with lettering by Ray Caspio. What better way to celebrate its publication, than with a t-shirt bearing an image, taken from my pin-up illustration in So Super Duper #10, of So Super Duper star, Psyche, and his teenage dream crush, Comet? You can purchase the t-shirt in various styles (hoodies too!), colors and sizes at RedBubble.com! And don't forget that from now until December 25th, all white apparel is 20% off!

Psyche & Comet From So Super Duper T-Shirt by Kevenn T. Smith

All artwork and images ©Kevenn T. Smith 2011

Kevenn T. Smith 11/26/10 Kevenn T. Smith 11/26/10

Superhero Artwork Merchandise by Kevenn T. Smith

Just in time for the Holiday Season, you can buy cards, prints and posters of some of my past superhero illustrations seen on this website!

Wonder Clubbing by Kevenn T. Smith. This illustration is available as prints. Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request one and inquire further about pricing and sizes.

Here, Kitty, Kitty! by Kevenn T. Smith. This illustration is available as prints. Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request one and inquire further about pricing and sizes.

A Boy and His Dog by Kevenn T. Smith. This illustration is available as prints. Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request one and inquire further about pricing and sizes.

Double Transformation by Kevenn T. Smith. For sale as T-shirts, Skirts, Hoodies, Kids' & Babies' Clothes, Posters, Throw Pillows, Tote Bags, Studio Pouches, Mugs, Travel Mugs, Photographic Prints, Art Prints, Framed Prints, Canvas Prints, Metal Prints, Greeting Cards, Laptop Skins and more! Please use the "Contact Me" form at the top-left of this page to request and inquire about pricing and size options.

All artwork and images ©Kevenn T. Smith 2010

Kevenn T. Smith 11/16/10 Kevenn T. Smith 11/16/10

Oz Artwork Merchandise by Kevenn T. Smith