"Velocity"

"Velocity" / 8.5 x 11" / acrylic & ink on paper

I recently saw a photo of someone skydiving and thought to myself, "Hmm... I wonder if I'll ever try that, someday."

I'm not afraid of heights. In fact, I find heights to be quite exhilarating. Whenever I travel to a city, I'll always do my best to find a rooftop or penthouse view, to check things out from. And I love going on flights, from jumbo jets to propeller-driven puddle jumpers. So it chances to follow that I'd enjoy skydiving.

Of course, standing on the roof of a tall building or sitting comfortably in coach are both VERY different from free-falling at 117 to 125 mph!

- Dave C.

"Unseen"

"Unseen" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

Strange creatures and a forbidden alleyway kick off this week's run of drawings. I'm particularly stoked for this leg of the trip, as it's my last full week of Monday through Friday illustrations. If all goes according to schedule, Series 4 will be completed a week from today.

Here's to hoping for a strong finish!

- Dave C.

"Tracker"

"Tracker" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

I'm closing out this week's drawings with a Dangerous Woman & Creepy Monster combo piece! As I've said before, I'm an absolute sucker for drawing a well-armed woman, stalking through the woods after some ungodly creature. Of course, who's to say that the beast is stalking her, and not the other way around?

Have a great weekend, everyone. And join me on Monday for the start of the last full week of Alphabet Attack! Series 4.

- Dave C.

"Sensei"

"Sensei" / 8.5 x 11" / acrylic & ink on paper

Who doesn't appreciate a mild-mannered, buff, old guy who can disarm & subdue an enemy using only his pinkie?! Maybe there was too much Karate Kid in my childhood diet. But the mysteriously dangerous teacher character gets me EVERY time!

Today's drawing literally grew outward, from the central figure. I drew out the martial arts master in mid-kata, without any of the surrounding elements... no background or anything! Of course, I couldn't skimp on creating a scene/telling a story. Hence, the bewildered students in the background and magical butterflies were born!

- Dave c.

"Quickie"

"Quickie" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

I decided to take a turn away from the beastly, today -- in exchange for the carnal! As many of you may have noticed, summer is already in full swing. And with it, comes an undeniable, sweat-tinged flow of pheromones and animal attraction. How appropriate that it's the hot season that gets our blood boiling.

- Dave C.

"Outnumbered"

"Outnumbered" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

I'm closing out this week with a man fending off a couple foul beasts (instead of my usual Warrior Women). Our protagonist looks worse for the wear, but he's obviously drawn blood. Perhaps from one of the creatures who has fallen, and isn't viewed here.

But even if he defeats these two before him, what other dangers remain unseen? What else could be lurking in the woods, or in that tall grass?

- Dave C.

"Mortal"

"Mortal" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

I think today's illustration was inspired by all the news I've been reading, lately. There's so much war & devastation in the world. Not just now, but all throughout human history. It never ceases to fascinate me, how bent we are on the path of violence. Especially considering how precious & fragile our lives really are.

- Dave C.

"Liftoff"

"Liftoff" / 8.5 x 11" / acrylic & ink on paper

Today's drawing is another stream of consciousness piece. Something sprung to mind and brought with it images of children taking flight and transforming into strange birds.

But who is this horn-headed stranger, stepping out of the water. Is he dangerous? Or a benevolent creature, encouraging -- or even causing -- the children's metamorphosis. I suppose that remains to be seen....

- Dave C.

"Kindred"

"Kindred" / 11 x 17 / acrylic & ink on paper

Hope everyone had a swell weekend, and a peaceful start to this week. I'm kicking off this Monday through Friday run with some of my patented creepiness. It all spawned from a handful of questions that popped into my head -- don't monsters have relatives? If so, how do they keep in touch? What's a demon family reunion like?

And the image of this strange ritual came together from there.

- Dave C.

"Jetty"

"Jetty" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

Today's illustration is dedicated to all the lovers out there, both young and old. If you've ever fallen prey to Cupid's unerring aim, then you'll surely agree -- there is nothing quite like kissing someone you care deeply for, next to a surging body of water.

I was well into adulthood before I ever visited an ocean or experienced true love. But there's something beautifully hypnotic about both. If you haven't tried either sensation, I highly recommend them. In unison, if possible.

- Dave C.

"Incantation"

"Incantation" / 9 x 12" / ink on paper

How appropriate that on the 13th day of June, I throw some witchcraft into the mix! What surrealistic spell is this young woman casting? What's that maw-faced, knife-wielding creature lurking behind her? And is that silhouetted man in the foreground approaching for good or for ill??

This piece was created purely by stream of consciousness. It's fun to do that, sometimes... letting go so the image can draw itself... so it can tell its own story.

Dave C.

"Headless"

"Headless" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

Today's illustration features yet another Dangerous Woman. And much like the heroine of "Cestus," this deadly dame is dealing buckets full of pain to a much larger opponent. What can I say? I'm a sucker for an underdog. Even when said underdog is armed with razor-sharp blades capable of removing a man's noggin in one powerful slash!

- Dave C.

"Gridiron"

"Gridiron" / 11 x 17" / acrylic & ink on paper

Believe it or not, I've been a football fan since childhood. I was raised in a football household, in a football neighborhood, in a football town. I even played for a season in high school. That is, if you consider sitting on the bench for all but one play at the end of a blow-out game "playing."

So it's no surprise that my love of American "Gridiron" Football has found further expression in my illustrations. I've had a lot of fun with this subject matter. Especially during the 2011-2012 NFL season, which found me doing color drawings & rough sketches in friends' homes & sports bars around the Greater Los Angeles area. With today's piece, I wanted to delve back into that world... to sink the viewers into the mud & torn up turf, the noise & spectacle... the relative calm before the storm of 22 men in pads stomping the living snot out of each other, all in an attempt to get 15oz of inflated leather across their opponent's goal line.

- Dave C.

"Fang"

"Fang" / 14 x 17" / acrylic & ink on bristol board

This week's set of drawings kicks off with one of my Dangerous Women and her savage beastie friend. I may never tire of drawing and painting these deadly darlings. Nothing gives me quite the same kick that I get from scribbling out this kind of subject matter.

Today's illustration actually began as a super rough sketch -- done with a highlighter, of all things. But something about it captured my imagination, instantly bringing the word "fang" to mind. One light table session and several ounces of ink later, the above image was complete, dry & ready for the scanner!

- Dave C.

"Dissuasion"

"Dissuasion" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper 

Today's illustration is dedicated to "the better angels of our nature." Those forces whom aim to turn us away from our own self destruction, whether we realize it or not. As with the previous pieces in this series, the whole noir bar scene popped into my head, as soon as I knew what word I'd be illustrating. 

I'm having fun shooting from the hip, so to speak, in Series 4. Going back to the Monday through Friday format makes for an interesting time challenge. But I dig how it's inspiring me to make faster decisions, both in choosing my subject matter and my actual mark-making.

- Dave C.

"Cestus"

"Cestus" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper

The cestus (kes-tuss) is an ancient ancestor of the modern day boxing glove. Used by The Greeks & The Romans, it was battle glove, typically tricked out with such brutal accoutrements as metal plates, spikes & blades. Yeesh... and you thought MMA fights were rough. Imagine Kimbo Slice coming down on somebody with one of these!

When I knew I was doing "Cestus" for The Letter C, this image immediately sprung to mind. I'm always stoked to illustrate a strong female going ballistic on a larger, monstrous opponent. Especially, when the chump is getting a bit too grabby for her taste.

- Dave C.

"Balustrade"

"Balustrade" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper 

I don't know what it is about it, but I'm especially fond of the word "balustrade." And I'm even more fond of swashbuckling sword fights, where heroes leap atop a balustrade & deal razor-sharp vengeance upon their enemies!

- Dave C.

"Arabica"

"Arabica" / 9 x 12" / acrylic & ink on paper 

Here we go again! Welcome to Series 4 of my daily illustration blog, Alphabet Attack! I'm kicking off this run with a piece dedicated to that most magical beverage -- coffee!

I've been a fan of the bitter brown, since I was a wee boy. My late, Southern Baptist grandmother used to make instant coffee in a battered, stainless steel saucepan, then temper it with a splash of condensed milk. And while I don't remember how old I was when she finally allowed me to take a sip of it, I do know I was hooked from that very first taste.

Nowadays, I tend to take my coffee black. But even with sugar & cream -- be it dark roast or light beans -- a hot cup of coffee makes my morning quite supreme!

- Dave C.

"Alphabet Attack!" Returns on June 3rd!

I'm proud to announce the return of my daily illustration blitzkrieg, Alphabet Attack! on Monday, June 3rd! Once again, I'll be posting new images Monday through Friday, for your eager peepers to devour.

This will be the fourth series in my illustrated run from A to Z. And it promises to be ablaze with the raw imagination you enjoyed in previous installments of the blog.

In a new twist, this series will consist entirely of black & white artwork. So I'll be challenging myself to tell clear, single-image stories, without the benefit of color. Guess it's time to stock up on the ol' india ink!

Between now and the June 3rd launch, I'll be posting behind the scenes sketches, sneak peeks & insights on the art I'm developing. So stay tuned... there will be plenty to see, before the chum hits the rotor blade, in a few weeks.

Alphabet Attack! Series 4

Fresh Illustrations, Monday through Friday

Starting June 3, 2013

www.alphabetattack.blogspot.com

"We've come to far to give up who we are."
- Dave "King Gum" Crosland

"Yorick"

 "Yorick" / 9 x 12" / ink on paper 

Today's illustration was inspired by the fictional character, Yorick, from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Although, my version of the deceased court jester is obviously of the non-human variety. I just can't help myself, when it comes to my penchant for monsters.

Low and behold, I've only got one more illustration left to go. Tune in next week for the dramatic conclusion of Series 3, as well as news of Alphabet Attack yet to come.

"I'm not saying what I did was alright,

Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day-to-day fight."

- David C.