steve rolston's journal of infrequency

hammerhead

2009-06-28T00:52:17Z

Did this little drawing for my buddy RT's birthday. I put some shading on the original sketch with purple pencil but the scan was horrible (I think I need a new bulb in my scanner) so I just took the line art and threw some new digital colours on it. Shark!

posted at SRS

dolphin on a cellphone

2009-06-26T18:38:56Z

Whenever I show people the artwork I did for Annick Press' upcoming children's book THE GREAT MOTION MISSION, the drawing that usually gets the most attention is of a dolphin on a cellphone. Brandon keeps saying he wants it printed on a t-shirt. But I'm cheap, so instead I just turned it into a desktop wallpaper. Enjoy:

marian's got the goods

2009-06-23T23:02:03Z

HOT TIP:

Marian Churchland is selling her original pages from the comic book ELEPHANTMEN for the insanely low price of $75. They're beautifully coloured with Copic markers would look damn fine framed on your wall. She's also offering to do commissioned drawings of other things.

http://incertus.livejournal.com/8328.html

I just read two of her Elephantmen issues the other day and they're quite excellent. I can't wait to see her knock people's socks off with her own projects.

baby panda fight!

2009-06-10T03:42:28Z

Thank you, Youtube, for giving us a 5-minute video of baby pandas wrastlin':

panda tom

2009-06-05T16:29:05Z

My sketchblog has decided to stop synching to my livejournal, so I guess I'll post this the old-fashioned way. Here's something I drew late last night when I couldn't sleep...

listening to "Devil's Eyes - Buck 65" on Blip

2009-06-05T08:10:22Z

Devil's eyes... I can see them when they scream...

emiko in a spider-man dress

2009-05-28T03:29:33Z

Commissioned sketch I did for Chad at last weekend's Vancouver Comicon. Her proportions are kinda off but I still like it.

posted at SRS

emiko + poppy

2009-05-26T00:48:20Z

I turned this drawing into a standee for my convention table. I didn't get it done soon enough for any shows other than TCAF and the Vancouver Comicon, so I thought I'd put it up here for those who didn't get to see it.

posted at SRS

vancouver comicon

2009-05-24T02:46:06Z

Hey, you know where I'll be tomorrow? That's right, I'll be at the...

VANCOUVER COMICON
Sunday, May 24th, 2009
11am to 5pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
Admission: $4.00

Special Guests:
* Douglas Wheatley (Star Wars: Dark Times)
* Steve Rolston (Emiko Superstar, The Escapists, Degrassi: Extra Credit)
* Dave McCaig (Star Wars: Dark Times, Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk)
* Joseph Gilland (animator; author of Elemental Magic)
* David Boswell (Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman)
* Jesse Davidge (Mathemagick and Mystiphysics)
* Kelly Everaert (Jungle Tales, Trilogy of Terror)
* Mike Myhre (Space Jet Comics)
* Andrew Salmon (Secret Agent X)
* Robin Thompson (Champions of Hell, Hemp Island)
* Laura Eveleigh
* Mary Karaplis
* Donald King
* Carrie McKay
* Critical Hit Comics
* New Reliable Press
* Capilano University IDEA students

If you're a local and don't have my new sketchbook, PEEP, this is a good chance to purchase a copy for your viewing satisfaction.

Wanna know what I'm up to tonight? I'm gonna be heading over to the JAN'S ATOMIC HEART / TRUE LOVES 2 / FUNDAY SUNNIES launch party thing. Look, an informative image:

more motion mission

2009-05-22T03:24:20Z

Hey look, some more of the images I drew for Cora Lee's children's book THE GREAT MOTION MISSION!

I just saw an advance copy of the book the other day and it turned out quite nicely. Should be in stores in a couple months.

Previously posted images:
http://steverolston.livejournal.com/101745.html

listening to "I Should Have Been Watching You - Hayden" on Blip

2009-05-18T06:03:05Z

Now it's dark and it's through... I should have been watching you...

delirium

2009-05-15T00:52:46Z

Delirium from The Sandman.

Commissioned by that Swedish girl Anna at the 2009 Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

posted at SRS

zatanna

2009-05-15T00:49:53Z

Zatanna and a bunny.

Commissioned by Jason Truong at the 2009 Toronto Comic Arts Festival.

posted at SRS

listening to "Smoke Detector - Rilo Kiley" on Blip

2009-05-12T16:03:20Z

Danger... Do the smoke detector...

tcaf

2009-05-07T10:58:51Z

I've yet to sleep and I'm headed to the airport in half an hour. I will then be whisked away across the Great White Northern skies to a land called Toronah. Why? Because this weekend I will be attending + exhibiting at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. By all accounts, it sounds like it'll be a splendid affair. Get yer infos here: http://www.torontocomics.com/tcaf/

The National Post has been running questionnaires on their website with many of the comic creators who will be at TCAF. Here's mine:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/afterword/archive/2009/05/06/toronto-comic-arts-festival-2009-q-amp-a-with-steve-rolston.aspx

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In other news, my comic book class should be starting up again on May 18th. If you know someone in Vancouver interested in learning the craft of comics, now is the time for them to sign up!

listening to "Damn Right, I've Got the Blues - Buddy Guy" on Blip

2009-05-06T01:40:16Z

You damn right, I've got the blues... From my head down to my shoes...

sock talk

2009-05-05T05:54:29Z

Steph posted a few shots of me talking to Ed the Sock and Liana K during the Happy Harbor party in Edmonton.

Yes, Liana is dressed as Black Canary.

listening to "Wishful Thinking - Joel Plaskett" on Blip

2009-05-04T21:57:13Z

I keep on thinking wishful thoughts... I wish you were here but you're not...

calgary + edmonton

2009-05-04T18:51:32Z

Look, it's me sketching away at the Calgary Expo the other week. Photo by Lindsey Baker.

While I was in Calgary, B. Schatz talked to me for a few minutes and has posted those mumblings as an interview at Comixtreme.com, appropriately titled FIVE MINUTES WITH STEVE ROLSTON.

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This past weekend I was in Edmonton for Free Comic Book Day, courtesy of the fine folks at Happy Harbor Comic Stores. It was a blast. Here are a few pics from that event and after-party. The artists sketching alongside me were Fiona Staples, Nick Johnson, Chris Peterson and Steve Gervais. Photos by Stephanie Chan.

free comic book day

2009-05-02T00:22:33Z

I'm in Edmonton! Are you? Then you should come down to one of the Happy Harbor comic stores tomorrow for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. Specifically the Volume 3 store, near Whyte Ave. That's where I'll be sketching and signing and whatnot. It's also Happy Harbor's 10th birthday so they've got a bunch of cool stuff going on, including some Roller Derby matches. Check it out...
http://www.happyharborcomics.com/events/FCBD/page_event_fcbd2009.html

Gonna be somewhere else tomorrow? Well, you should still try to visit a comic shop to get some free comics, including the new COMICS FESTIVAL!, which includes a new one-page comic by yours truly, featuring Rosco the Octopus.

calgary drink n draw 02

2009-05-01T06:26:18Z

Here are the rest of the sketches I did at the Drink 'n Draw at the Unicorn Pub during the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo...

The guy getting sat on by the devilgirl is supposed to be Dave Johnson.

The octopus is Rosco, who's starring in his own one-page comic in this year's Comics Festival! comic, which you can pick up for FREE this weekend at participating comic stores. That's right, this Saturday is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.

posted at SRS

calgary drink n draw 01

2009-04-30T20:14:28Z

Sketches I did at the Drink 'n Draw at the Unicorn Pub during the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo...

The guy in the top-left is supposed to be Sean "Cheeks" Galloway. I should have taken a pic of the sketch he did of me. It was much better than this.

posted at SRS

calgary expo 2009

2009-04-24T16:53:04Z

A reminder to those in Albertaland...

I will be at the CALGARY COMIC + ENTERTAINMENT EXPO this Saturday and Sunday. You can find me at table G17. I'll be the guy twirling his moustache and wishing he had something clever to say.

stumptown 2009

2009-04-17T16:35:39Z

A reminder to those in the Portland, Oregon area...

I will be at the STUMPTOWN COMICS FEST this Saturday and Sunday. Most of the time I should be sitting at a half-table (#19) sponsored by Oni Press. I'll be the guy with the moustache and the glazed look in his eyes.

the great motion mission

2009-04-16T18:57:59Z

A few months ago I did over 60 spot illustrations for a kids book called THE GREAT MOTION MISSION.

It's the story of a boy who conspires with his uncle to convince their town NOT to replace their summer fairgrounds with a physics research centre. They think physics is dumb and of no use to anyone. But the girl next door is big on science and points out how everything involves physics--including music, sports, the weather, roller coasters, skateboarding and more.

The Great Motion Mission will be published sometime this summer by Annick Press and I believe it's aimed at kids aged 9 to 12. It was written by Cora Lee, who previously wrote a similar book about mathematics entitled The Great Number Rumble.

Here are a just a few of the illustrations I did. I'll likely post some more of my favourites in the future.