Monster Toys Are Go!!

I haven't posted in a while...been very busy on a comic book project for the Monsterverse comics title 'Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave'.Did take some time out to start work on some figure concepts for a vinyl toy manufacturer. Here is one of the first drawings I did for them, straight from the sketchbook. Though the final concept for the toy has changed a bit, I still like this first sketch. Hope you do too!

1 Hour Sketch Challenge: PREDATOR!

Howdy!
Did a quick one hour sketch challenge yesterday with Carlos Villagra to break in a new sketchbook. Lots of fun, and challenging in the limited time. Tried to draw as much from memory as possible, but had to cheat a little by googling the T-Rex skull...
Hope you like it...

C.H.U.D. Custom Celsius Figure

Just finished customizing a Ganmetal Celsius figure for the Show at T.A.G aka Toy Art Gallery in Los Angeles on July 10th, 2010. Read all about it on Spanky Stokes site and if your in the L.A. area, come on down. My custom C.H.U.D. figure will be selling for $300.00 and will be available there. Take a look at the list of amazing artists participating in the show on Spanky's site, as well as a number of photos of some of the additional custom entries. Looks like a lot of fun! And when the show is over, and the lights go off in the gallery...my C.H.U.D.'s eyes will be GLOWING IN THE DARK!
Thanks to friend and fellow artist Chris Ryniak for hooking me up with the show!

New: Zombot Ghoul Photos

Just got these in.
Here are some of the first photos of the completed Zombot Ghoul build-up that I have been displaying at conventions in the last few months. These kits are still available in the Groman Store...
I will be updating the Zombot Ghoul Model Kit Order store link soon, with added photos of the box-art and parts breakdown.
Thank you Toby Shingleton for the great photos!!

A Visit to New Zealand and the Weta Workshop!!

A dream come true is not the half of it. I just got back in town after spending a week in wonderful Wellington, New Zealand and the Weta Workshop!
I have watched King Kong, and The Lord of the Rings films countless times, and have always been amazed at the writing, direction and production design. One visit to the Weta Workshop and you'll find out that quality make-up, prosthetics, miniatures and digital effects are job 1. And mastering over it all is the amazing, Richard Taylor. When you see the incredible handiwork that goes into the variety of props, costumes and miniatures that these artisans create, you realize just a fraction of the detail of these items makes it onto the screen. Richard is nurturing a team of artists who will all carry on with that same intense sense of detail that has become a staple of anything created at the Weta Studios.
After a whirlwind tour of the shop itself, (no, don't even think about asking to see anything from The Hobbit) we spent a few evenings dining with Richard and some of his wonderful crew. I have to say, this was one of the greatest times of my life and one that I will never forget.
Can't wait to go back...

Zombot Ghoul: IN COLOR!

Well, it was a rush last week getting ready for the Monsterpalooza show in Burbank on the 9th. Started getting all my casted pieces/parts over the course of last week, and assembled and painted my first Zombot Ghoul. The rifle was the last piece in and I had to paint it and pack it so fast that I did not get pictures.
I am in California right now, and thought that I would post a few of the early shots I took while painting this last week. Once I have this dude at the show and fully assembled, I will take some more photos and post them.
Get your orders in if you want one, these guys are starting to go...!

Zombot Ghoul Resin Kit Pre-orders!

Thats right. James Groman's Zombot Ghoul resin kits are now available for pre-order at THE GROMAN STORE. Follow the link to THE GROMAN STORE on this blog to find out details on how to order this massive, monstrous beauty!

Zombot Ghoul Sculpture

Here are some more photos taken of my Zombot Ghoul sculpture a few days before it's completion on February 15th. At 22 inches, this has ended up being one of the largest figures that I have ever sculpted, and I have to say I really did find the scale quite enjoyable to work in. I am looking forward to doing some more larger sized pieces this year.
I delivered the finished sculpt to my mold maker (Matt Hawkins at Character Dynamics) today and should start getting finished casted parts in about a week. I am still putting the finishing touches on the base and one small additional accessory. The kit will come in approximately 10 parts which will include the Zombot's rifle, base and a few wires and hoses to connect and customize his various mechanical additions. I will be retailing the sculpture for $200.00 and will begin taking orders emediately.
Thanks to longtime friend James Elliott for helping out by supplying and fabricating various parts for the awesome rifle, which is made from a variety of metal, renshape and styrene parts.

Sculpting Assistant

I just couldn't resist.
My wife took this photo of my granddaughter Mckenna and I in the studio. She loves visiting and working with my tools in sculpey. (Hide those sharp ones, though!)
I call her my assistant, but when she's around she seems to be the one calling the shots!

Zombot Ghouls Return!

Howdy!
Wanna know why I haven't posted in a while? Well, I've been SCULPTING!
I am in the midst of creating the pattern for a 22 inch tall Zombot Ghoul figure, based on the character and artwork that I did many moons ago for my 'Monster Hunter' project. (check out the illustration in my earlier posts)
This illustration has always been a favorite among friends and fans, and thanks to my buddy Matt Hawkins suggestion, it will now be a resin model kit.
I am planning on attending the Monsterpalooza show in Burbank, California in April and thought it would be nice to show up with something brand new from the Groman studio...(it has been quite a while since I have sculpted a full figure model kit.) Lets see if anyone remembers who I am..!

Elliott Nessie!

Fear not, my friends. Elliott Nessie has arrived to take matters into his hands,...er claws...uh flippers.
Friend and fellow illustrator Trevor Zammitt has invited me to participate in a gallery show with the unlikely title "Who Framed Yeti Speghetti?", a sort of cryptozoological theme crossed with a murder mystery thriller. It opens this weekend at the
Genuine Artikle Gallery in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York.
I dove into my acrylics and conjured up this little beastie that I have christened: Elliott Nessie. The painting is 15 by 30 inches, and will have an asking price of $1500. So if you get a chance and you can get on down to the show, please do so and help us all solve the mystery of:..
Who Framed Yeti Speghetti?

Triptiskeletal Tattoo Tees at The Groman Store!!

Click on my Groman Store banner to pick up one of my new, Triptiskeletal Tattoo Tees.Each design combines the skeletal structure of 3 prehistoric reptiles with an ancient tribal tattoo motif. You have your choice of six colors and two different style shirts, Alstyle and American Apparel.Each shirt retails for $17.99 and are available only through MySoti.
All designs Copyright 2009 James Groman

Tyrannosaurus T-Shirt

Just finished this black and white Tyrannosaurus T-shirt design for my blog-store. This is the second dinosaur shirt design that I started, and the first one that actually got finished. The other one is a bit more complex, and will be finished and posted soon.I plan to have four shirt designs available in the next few weeks.
I have a number of dinosaur projects in the works right now, so stay tuned.

The Groman Store!

Howdy!
I have been slowly gathering up some fun, monsterlicious stuff for my online store, and just posted a couple new poster offerings yesterday. Both posters are 18 by 24 inches on heavy card stock. WAR OF THE COLLOSSAL FREAKS OF FRANKENSTEIN'S PLANET and BEACH BLANKET BEASTIE. Feel free to scuff them up and tatter up the edges, they look great that way!
For more monsterific goodness click on the banner ad in my links. We got Resin model kits, comics and posters with more to come.

Project: C.H.U.D.

The subject this month on Sketch-O-Rama is an old 1984 movie called C.H.U.D. At first I had trouble getting excited about it, but decided to use it as an excuse to do a sculpt. I have not done any serious sculpting in quite some time, and truley enjoyed getting back into it. What I ended up with is kind of a C.H.U.D. Madball of sorts. Not only did I use my sculpt to create my submission illustration for Sketch-O-Rama, but I am gonna cast up a few in resin for friends and family.

Redbull Skate Deck: FINISHED!

Here is my finished and vectored Redbull Skateboard deck, ready to go to the gallery. I did it rather quickly, but it's a style that I am comfortable with so I am pretty happy with it.

Red Bull Skate Deck Show

Man,seems like a long time since my last post. Like a lemming I joined Facebook and seem to be reconnecting to tons of old friends there, taking up some of my focus.
Well, I was recently invited to join a gallery show of skate decks sponsored by Red Bull. I sketched up a few different ideas, then narrowed it down to these two. Being known for working on the Madballs toy line, I am leaning towards the crazy ass bull riding the skateboard. But I am keeping an open mind, so anything can happen. I will most likely start the final piece this weekend. Should I paint it, Photoshop it or vector the sumbitch? I would like to start this weekend, so I gotta decide soon.

Hypernatural

I am in the midst of gathering up some of my early work for a book that I am putting together and ran across this pencil drawing I did for my Monster Hunter project. I realised that I never posted this one, so I thought that I would do that today to fill in the gap between postings.

Gorn Supremacy

Here is my last submission to Sketch-o-Rama. Our subject matter was Star Trek . What we have here is a cross between your basic Gorn,(an alien species that appeared on the original Star Trek series)and a Borg,(the villians of the series Star Trek The Next Generation)

Beach Blanket Beastie

Here is an interesting piece of art I did many years back as part of a series I was working on called 'Beasts and Babes'. The black line is a film positive transparency layed over the top of detailed marker and pencil color. The line work and color got a bit mis-aligned over the years, but this illustration has served me well. Not only did it inspire the sculpture for my best selling resign model kit of the same name, but it went on to become a popular 4 color, silk-screened t-shirt design produced by a local company.
Viva la Beastie!

Sketch-O-Rama: Vampirella!

This was a piece I did last week for our Sketch-O-Rama blog. I was a big fan of the old Warren Magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland, Creepy and Eerie published in the 70's. These magazines showcased alot of awesome up-and-comers at the time as well as some old pros. Guys like Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, Neal Adams,Alex Toth, Esteban Maroto, Alex Nino, Ramon Torrents, Sanjulian, Alfred Alcala,....I could go on and on. I was not as avid a follower of Vampirella at the time, but always loved some of these incredible artists renditions of her that popped up from time to time on the covers and interior art.
Also, Forrest J.Ackerman, the creator of Vampirella and publisher of Famous Monsters Magazine died on December 4th, 2008. Thats me in the photograph with Forrest J. back in 1992. I was on the west coast promoting a Halloween product line I created called Calvin Corpse and the Cryptville Characters, (that's the 18 inch Calvin Corpse doll I am holding) and was lucky enough to have met him at a local horror convention.

Masters of the Universe

Sketch-o-Rama has a new challenge, and boy if Jorge Lacera didn't deliver in spades over at the website. Go there and check out his take on the evil villian SKELETOR from the Masters of the Universe toy line. Here is my contribution to the cause: HE MAN AND BATTLE CAT. I decided to sketch this out traditionally with pencil and do some quick photoshop color, trying to keep it loose, emphasizing composition and lighting.

Watchmen Are here!!

Yes, I went and saw the Watchmen movie on Friday...and I liked it! I still consider it a property that is virtually un-filmable by modern man, but I did find the new film quite enjoyable for what it is.
We recently agreed to each do a Watchmen character drawing for our Sketch-O-Rama posting this month. Carlos has posted a way-cool Dr. Manhattan, and I have followed up with my version of the Comedian.
Here it is for shits and giggles.

Return of the Cyclops

I did some quick finishes on this last night. Been pretty busy lately so I have not devoted as much time to it as I would have liked, but I am still happy with the result. I piled on the textures and experimented with some different brushes in photoshop. Tried to keep it dark and moody, but that color would just not go away!!
Some of you may get a twinge of familiarity from the composition of this piece. Many years ago during an art history course I discovered the work of the Spanish old masters/modernist painter Francisco Goya. I was particularly taken with his infamous 'Black Paintings' done shortly before his death. This cyclops rendering is a tip of the hat to a painting he did in 1819 called 'Saturn Devouring his Children'.
Though my image is a bit disturbing, google GOYA'S image and you will see an image that will haunt your dreams and nightmares.

Cyclops concept

Howdy,
I did a few concept sketches for a friend of mine who needed a cyclops type creature for a project he was working on. I came up with a design that I kinda liked, so I decided to do a color exploration to try some textures and color. I got so jazzed while working on it that I started a larger, color rendering of this bad-boy full body, from head to toe. I am almost finished with that piece and will be posting it soon. Until then, here is the beasties head.

TYRANNOBOARDUS REX!!

For those that do not know, I went to the hospital a week and a half ago with viral Pneumonia, and was there a week. I am now home and slowly getting the use of my lungs back, and have been broken hearted at not being able to participate in the ALL HANDS ON DECK Gallery Show at American Greetings. It is now Monday, the show is up, and I am going every which way of stir crazy, waiting for the thumbs up from my Doc to get back to work. The Deck show looks absolutely awesome...(great work, Keith Corcoran and company!!) and I just could not help but try to be a part of it. I slammed through my deck today, using acrylics and prisma color pencils, chosen mostly to avoid anything with toxic fumes and vapors. Now I submit to you all the result: TYRANNO-BOARDUS REX.
I just hope it's not to late to get it in the show!!..
James Groman

My Pet Monster?

I spent the day working on a My Pet Monster project at AG. I have always loved the character, and enjoyed revisiting this old brand from the 1980's.While working on it I decided to do a quick My Pet Monster sketch, and in the process the poor guy kind of got...'Gromanized'. What can I say...I make no excuses. So here he is in raw sketch form, with a quick Photoshop color version as well.
Now time for an early New Years Resolution. This year I did not do nearly as much free-style sketching as I would have liked to, but 2009 is going to be different. I am going to make a serious attempt at trying to do a new quick sketch for this blog on a more timely basis. Like this drawing of My Pet Monster, I have hundreds of heroes, villians and monsters that I have been wanting to sketch up my version of, and this is going to be the year to do it.
So let this be the first of many...

South African Pygmy Plushtookan Warrior Fetish Figure

I was recently asked to participate in the Midwest Plushform Show and create a customized plush figure as part of a gallery event and auction for Toys for Tots. Busy as sin, but just could not pass up a chance to join in the fun. There is quite a line up of talented folks that are taking part in this show, so pop on over to the Shoparooni website SHOPAROONI and check out the list of artists, and the date of the show.
Until then, here is my South African Pygmy Plushtookan Warrior Fetish Figure.

The Mighty Thor!!

Man, has it been a long time since I did a sketch-o-rama drawing!!
Carlos Villagra has finally succeeded in prodding me into putting down my freelnce for a few minutes and doing a sketch of one of my favorite Marvel Comics heroes:
THE MIGHTY THOR!
And, by crazy coincidence, the trades have just announced the name of the man set to direct the big screen motion picture debut of the Thunder God.
Kenneth Brannagh
Mr. Brannagh is best known for directing a number of Shakespearian film adaptations, as well as the mediocre 1994 Frankenstein film starring Robert Deniro. Though Frankenstein is not a good indicator, the man is an interesting director. Besides, the Thor I grew up with spoke alot like someone who walked out of one of the works of The Bard.
Anyway, heres my Thor, inked by hand and colored in Photoshop.
BY ODIN'S BEARD!

New Madball Paintings

Yes, I have been missing in action for the last few weeks.
I am overloaded with freelance and some other personal projects that need my undivided attention, so the blog has been neglected once again.
But, I did realise that I hadn't posted my two new Madball paintings that I had done a few months back. These were created for our American Greetings Madball Gallery Show. I challenged myself to get these two painted as fast as I could, and ended up spending 2 hours a piece on them...
Don't be too impressed, they are only 6 inches square in size.
So, here they are, for your viewing pleasure, (or horror...)
DUSTBRAIN and SWINESUCKER!!

Boose & Gar are at San Diego Comicon!!

They're here!
I've finally got my first shipment of the Boose & Gar Collected Graphic Novel! I am taking a bunch to San Diego for Comicon, and will be passing them out as a promotional item to comic shops, dealers, distributers, movie stars, film producers, or franklly, any one who will talk to me...
When I get back from the show I will be offering them up for sale on my blog, so check this site out in about 2 weeks to get yours.
And soon I will be starting on my next publishing project...

San Diego Comicon Madball Exclusive!!

Howdy!
I'm off to San Diego Comicon today, and will be stopping by the Basic fun/Underground Toys booth at the show to check on Madballs and see how things are going with the 1000 signed and numbered limited edition Madballs art prints that they have at the show.
Thats right! The first 1000 people to stop by their booth at the show will recieve one, 20" by 20" , limited edition art print of our Blech Beard the Pirate signed by the artist (me!) with the purchase of any Wave 1 or Wave 2 Madball!
These are beautiful, full-color prints on high quality, heavy stock ,acid free paper. They will be given out contained in a huge protective envelope with an official Madball sticker of authenticity. Come to the show, and get one while they last.
Wow, it is Thursday, and the show started yesterday...they may be gone already!

Inside the Studio...

My wife took this photo for the opening pages of my Boose & Gar collected comic.
Thanks, my sweet!

Arrrr, Madballs!!

Its Madball painting number 3! This time it's Blech Beard the pirate, a real cool Madball design from Wave 2, (should be on toy shelves right about now!). I also did this painting as an addition to a Madball art-gallery show we will be having here at American Greetings.
Uh, Oh...I feel my painting hand a-twitching... could I actually get a Skull Face painting done in time?
STAY TUNED!

Boose -n- Gar Front and Back Covers

Here is the nearly finished front cover image to the Boose n Gar Collected book! (I say nearly because I have been known to tweek these things right up until the day it goes to print.)
I enlarged the background to allow for the logotype to be applied, and added a blue border treatment. (A homage to the border treatment on the comic's original covers in the 80's)
I also began coloring the image to be used for the back cover as well, and here it is. More of a portrait study of the two heroes, in a more relaxed moment between adventures.

The Boys Are Back...

I have mentioned before on this blog that I created, wrote and illustrated a comic book back in the 1980's-90's called Buce n Gar. At the time the book's sales were on a steady increase all the time, and there was a group out there who even started a fan club. But when the last seven pages of the 100 page story arc I was working on were lost at the printer, and I was offered a new job right out of college, I abandoned the publishing world and went on to have a rather lucrative career in toy design.
About 3-4 years ago, RAK graphics publisher Robert Kraus found the lost pages, and I at last had my complete 100 page Buce n Gar comic back together. And in the interest of finally seeing this large part of my artistic past finally complete, I am now planning to publish this entire, 100 page epic myself. I have cleaned up and re-typeset every page, and recently began work on a brand new cover for the book, (which you see here.) I have also decided to re-design the logo, and go with a new spelling for Buce's name. It will now read: Boose n Gar.
This cover is still in the finishing stages, but will be completed soon. My planned book will be over 150 pages long, and will contain the now complete first saga of Boose n Gar as well as a number of my other early works.
Finally, after all these years.
Stay tuned for further updates...
(Special thanks to my friend and co-worker Dave Fedan for his constant incouragement during the course of creating this new cover. )

Charlton Heston:1924-2008

I heard the news that Charlton Heston died this weekend. This demanded that I pick up a pencil, and honor him with a sketch.
Heston was one of my all-time favorite actors. The voice, the presence, the face that seems to be carved from of stone. Like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Gregory Peck, Charles Bronson and Steve Mcqueen, there isn’t a movie star alive today that can touch him when it comes to his stature as an iconic, larger than life hero.
Some of my favorite films he starred in are: The Naked Jungle (fighting killer army ants), Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, The Warlord, The Big Country, El Cid, Will Penny, The Agony and the Ecstasy (as Michaelangelo), Major Dundee, A Touch of Evil (great film noir), Planet of the Apes (the great original), Soylent Green and The Omega Man, to name but a few.
If you ever want to see what I believe to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones, check out Heston’s ‘ Secret of the Incas’.
If a ‘real’ Batman movie had been done in the 50’s or 60’s, he would have been my choice for Bruce Wayne/Batman.
The sketch that appears here is based on Heston’s portrayal of El Cid from the 1961 film of the same name. The actor is best known for his oscar winning portrayal of Judah Ben Hur in the film: Ben Hur, and as Moses in the Ten Commandments. But my favorite, big-budget film epic with him in the lead is El Cid, the story of Spain’s greatest historical hero. Don’t take my word for it, the film was just released as a limited edition collectors set DVD with a ton of way-cool extras. No CGI here, those massive, castle and beach assaults and battles are all extras, props and sets. Do yourself a favor, and check it out.
Charlton Heston is a true hero’s, hero.
Who do we have today: Keanu Reeves?