Learning lots!

've been watching (participating through live chat) Lar deSouza's "Lartist at Work" Ustream Friday nights. Lar usually draws the Sunday version of Least I Could Do and people watch and learn and ask him questions which he answers live. This guy's a very talented artist, but moreso than that, he's happy to share what he knows. I've been using graphics programs for many, many years - but everyone uses each program differently. There's a bzillion ways to do any one thing on any program, but Lar is a Photoshop guru. And immensely patient answering the same questions over an over. He's a great teacher for sure. Anyway, since I've been absorbing his tricks and tips, my own work is improving vastly (in my eyes).



I am so much faster than I ever was and mistakes are far easier to correct now. I got two of what would've taken me a whole work day done today; the beer label previously posted and the zombie cartoon above. I'm most impressed with myself.

The subject, Ms. Michele, is a movie makeup artist specializing in the gory stuff. It's probably been over 20 years since I drew zombies. This one seems odd, but all the elements were requested and Ms. Michele has been known to dress just like that while out shooting. Her pet bird really has a hoodie too. I won't type the bird's name; this is a PG-13 blog. Zombie gore not withstanding.

So, thanks for the education, Lar! It's helping quite a bit!

Slightly more graphic

I do a lot of graphic art as well as just cartoons. All fonts and layouts and such. Below is a label for a micro-brewed beer in Mahopac, New York. Micheal S., the brewmeister, himself an Irish Italiam American said, "It's comical, slightly insulting and fairly accurate."

And the beer really is flavoured with coffee and whiskey!

This is a recent commission for Cherry Bomb Kustoms. They needed an image for general promotion and for business cards. So here it is. Kind of a fun one, but it took a lot of tweaking. Back in real cut-and-paste days, they had pencil pushers. I suppose I'm a pixel pusher.

More caricatures

The lovely, soulful, and serene, Ms. Petrona


Rosario Dawson and Rosie Perez


Ryan Sohmer and Lar deSouza, creators of "Least I Could Do"



Remember, you can always click here to see the lot of them.

Let me know if I can do one, or twenty, for you.

Photo Editing

One of my favourite things to do is to edit photos. Oh, sure, I like to shoot them too, but editing can be a lot of fun.



The composite image above is built of eight separate photos. The background, middle ground, and foreground are three separate elements. In the image below there are two additional photos used. The missionary's head and body are two separate people (and sort of unconvincing as well as making the shot too busy, so he's removed). The 'cabinet card' frame is one of the eight photos... and that was edited to remove the studio's logo and address. A matching typeface and vastly different geographic location was used. The lettering is also not of uniform colour (ink fades as do photos) and is very slightly embossed to appear stamped or printed.

The female model's figure, face, and clothing have been changed, as has the angle of her head (to accommodate the new face). That wasn't all that easy, but I enjoy a challenge. The price tag has been removed from the spear. Nothing has been done to the male figure other than lightening the shadows.


Click the photo for a larger view.


The photos were deliberately shot in the light and shade of trees so the figures would better match a jungle background. When you plan your composite photos in advance like this, you can get some pretty awesome results.

This was originally done as a study for a painting, but I'm not that good a painter. Though I do know I'm a hell of a photographer and photo editor.

"It's totally Ron Pearlman."

I did this up and the first person to see it guessed who it was supposed to be. I guess I ain't half bad at this caricature stuff.

I thought people would guess Tom Waits, but they look a lot alike in real life anyway.

My T-shirt designs

These were done back in my Graphic Designer days. Man, I did that for about 12 years, eight at the same company. I was particularly proud of this set as I saw and knew many people who bought the t-shirts. None of them knew 'til later that I was the artist behind the designs. I met a lovely lady recently who told me she'd collected many of them, maybe even all of them.










This next one was actually rejected, but I like it just the same:


These last two are my last two produced T-shirt designs, the last one being my favourite ever.
Pardon the poor photos, I didn't take the shots.



There's all kinds of cool stuff hidden in this one; things like a Maori warrior and a snake skeleton and lots of other weirdness.
Apparently, these are still popular. I haven't been working there in a long time and they're still selling these designs.

If you want one, go to www.kajobi.com and tell 'em "Mr. Sable" sent ya.

Stop, or I'll shoot!

As well as making props and designing and producing Special Effects, I shoot films.
Mine and those of others. Here are a few screen shots of some of the recent ones.
Most of these are digital versions of super8 film.


A full frame blowup from "Longshot"


"Longshot" and "World needs Kaos: Episode 3"


"Five Bullets, Five Names"


"14 Days from Damnation"


"the Rape of Mr. Smith" and "Longshot"


"Longshot" and "Heart of the Deal"


"I, Claus" and "Ironshield"


"Dance 4 Play"

I'm not sure if I have any particular style, but I understand film cameras and people keep asking me to shoot for them. My films are always well received as well.