Awesome! This week’s R3 Art Challenge is Kitty Pryde of the X-Men books. Any version throughout the years, or design your own look for her! We’ve had this topic a few years ago (actually 2005), so you can scroll through the earlier challenge here for inspiration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Pryde

*Image, and interesting backstory, from here…

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The R3 Challenge is open to all artists and runs weekly but remains open indefinitely. It can be found on the Third Rail Design Lab R3 Forum here: http://thirdraildesignlab.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
And on DeviantArt in the TRDL R3 WeeklyJam group here: http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/

NEW: A spreadsheet of all R3 Challenge threads to date can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuDrQP27UVZNdEw2WnNWVmlJcHBuaElvUXV0RTAwU1E

Look for the character you want to add and you may find an existing challenge to use…… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. R3 Art Challenge 2012 No 16 – Russians
2. 2012 R3 Challenge No. 13: Batman- Gotham by Gaslight
3. 2012 R3 Challenge 13: Captain Marvel 2013 (Marvel)

2012 R3 Art Challenge No.16: Russians

Here’s an interesting one. ‘Russians’.
Certainly there are plenty of Russian, and I’ll technically include Soviet, given the history of recent decades, heroes and villains in comics, but frankly characters from books and film and even historical figures are all fair game! Draw something fun!

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The R3 Challenge is open to all artists and runs weekly but remains open indefinitely. It can be found on the Third Rail Design Lab R3 Forum here: http://thirdraildesignlab.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
And on DeviantArt in the TRDL R3 WeeklyJam group here: http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/

NEW: A spreadsheet of all R3 Challenge threads to date can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuDrQP27UVZNdEw2WnNWVmlJcHBuaElvUXV0RTAwU1E

Look for the character you want to add and you may find an existing challenge to use…… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. 2012 R3 Challenge No. 13: Batman- Gotham by Gaslight
2. 2012 R3 Challenge 13: Captain Marvel 2013 (Marvel)
3. October 16 2011 – TRDL R3 Art Jam – Magic Challenge

In 1989, Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola released what is now considered to be the first Elseworlds story for DC: Gotham by Gaslight, setting Batman against a victorian Gotham City. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to draw Batman or any other character from that one-shot.

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotham_by_Gaslight

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The TRDL/ R3 Jam runs weekly but remains open indefinitely. It can be found on the Third Rail Design Lab R3 Forum here: http://thirdraildesignlab.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
And on DeviantArt in the TRDL R3 WeeklyJam group here: http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/

NEW: A spreadsheet of all R3 Challenge threads to date can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuDrQP27UVZNdEw2WnNWVmlJcHBuaElvUXV0RTAwU1E
Look for the character you want to add and you may find an existing challenge to use…… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. 2012 R3 Challenge 13: Captain Marvel 2013 (Marvel)
2. October 16 2011 – TRDL R3 Art Jam – Magic Challenge
3. TRDL Tribute: Batman: Year One

I have been lax in announcing the weekly character/theme for the TRDL R3 Challenge. Let’s solve that right now…

2012 R3 Challenge 13: Captain Marvel 2013 (Marvel)

In 2013, Captain Marvel (aka Carol Danvers) ie being given a Kree makeover, moving her into alignment with the cosmic Captain Marvel themes… this is your chance to take a crack at the new look. With or without Kree helmet. [Costume courtesy of Jamie McKelvie, cover art is EdM...]

More info here:

http://marvel.com/news/story/18290/wondercon_2012_captain_marvel

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The TRDL/ R3 Jam runs weekly but remains open indefinitely. It can be found on the Third Rail Design Lab R3 Forum here: http://thirdraildesignlab.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
And on DeviantArt in the TRDL R3 WeeklyJam group here: http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. 2012 R3 Challenge No. 13: Batman- Gotham by Gaslight
2. TRDL 2012 Series No. 17 – Captain Cold [TRDL Redesign]
3. October 16 2011 – TRDL R3 Art Jam – Magic Challenge

 

I was recently interviewed for Kuantru.com, and you can read the whole thing here:

http://www.khuantru.com/2012/02/interview-with-trdl-thom-chiaramonte/

Massively interesting, I assure you.

Check out the other interviews on the site while you’re at it! Great stuff over there.… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. TRDL Interviewed on Khuantru
2. TRDL Update – Interview Published on ‘Sherry Interviews…’
3. TRDL Featured on Comics Alliance

TRDL 2012 Series, No. 01 – Starfire [New 52]
Third Rail Thrills Pinup No. 73

This was done for the TRDL R3 Jam this week, the subject being the New 52 reboot design version of Starfire from DC Comics.

I used this week’s jam selection as an opportunity to roll out our TRDL Happy New Year pic, which was a lot of fun, despite my general dislike for this character (going back to my childhood, frankly, but even with the reboot, I’m failing to understand the design logic of chaps slash thigh high flare pants over boots paired with impossible brazier business the likes of which even Quitely’s Emma Frost couldn’t pull off). That all said, half the fun is doing the superdeformed (well, thats how I knew them, from my youth; they are referred to as chibi these days) character for the new year’s baby. Last time I did MODOK, in 2009-2010′s Rogue pic, and this time we have the New 52 version of Darkseid. Anyway, I tried a few things out with Starfire’s energy fire hair, and tweaked her colors in her skin and outfit to have a bit more saturation and harmony to them. Otherwise, it’s the reboot design. So, Happy new Year (Western) from Third Rail Design Lab!

You can find a larger version here.
And as always you can read about some of the design notes in my process pics below.

Artists, come join us on R3 and submit to the jams! The R3 Illustration Jam offers new characters weekly, but all jams remain open so you can contribute to any that you like, here:
http://www.thirdraildesignlab.com/forum … m.php?f=27
or in the TRDL-R3-WeeklyJam group on DA, here:
http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/

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In addition, here’s the familiar Third Rail Thrills series variant of the same pinup. Say, I mentioned … Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. Happy New Year from Third Rail Design Lab 2010 – 2011
2. TRDL 2012 Series No. 08 – Wonder Woman [New 52]
3. TRDL 2012 Series No. 12 – Spoiler

TRDL 2011 Series, No. 88 – 2011 Holiday Card Ft. Bolter from Rampart [TRDL Universe]
Third Rail Thrills Pinup No. 72

This year, we’re continuing our tradition of featuring different characters from the Third Rail Design Lab original universe in classic pinup grrrl style. For 2011, we have Bolter, from the team Rampart. You can find the original character in the notes below, as well as see progress pics.

We wish you safety, security, comfort and warmth this holiday season!
Thom and Joao

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For science, the Third Rail Thrills variant:

Artists, come join us on R3 and submit to the jams! The R3 Illustration Jam offers new characters weekly, but all jams remain open so you can contribute to any that you like, here:
http://www.thirdraildesignlab.com/forum … m.php?f=27
or in the TRDL-R3-WeeklyJam group on DA, here:
http://trdl-r3-weeklyjam.deviantart.com/

:::

You can find a larger version here.

You can see this illustration herein the TRDL Tribute Gallery.

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Background:

Here’s Bolter, as drawn by Joao Marques. You can see I played around with color and detailing to make the lingerie reference the character, albeit in a subtle way.
Read about her here:
http://www.thirdraildesignlab.com/blog/ … 07-bolter/

Here’s pencils for this piece. In the original, she’s cocking her head a bit, but as I worked I knew I’d be changing that.

Original inks.

One of the few digital tweaks I made was a reduction in the head size by about 10%, and redrawing of her right shoulder.

Another change is the use of Photoshop shape fencing to create round ornaments, since I can’t draw a circle.

Skin! Sultry!

Here’s the face and hair, complete. I actually gave her a bit more edge to the jawline by the time I was done.

A look at the corset detailing. It’s ribbed vertically, plus has … Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. Happy Holidays from Third Rail Design Lab 2010 !
2. Happy Holidays from Third Rail Design Lab
3. Happy New Year from Third Rail Design Lab 2010 – 2011

I love Tumblr. I get a lot of really great inspiration from the art posted there, and am exposed to new, young art talent there more than any other web destination. Unfortunately, more often than not the art on Tumblr is uncredited. The nature of the site is that people reblog art or sentiments they like, and it all depends on the original poster applying a source credit.

From here:
http://crispins-day.tumblr.com/post/831 … so-can-you

Every once and awhile, I even find my own work on Tumblr in this manner. The latest was this pic of Cyclops. You know I generally have all of my official TRDL releases presented with the Third Rail Design Lab trade dress on the border and my signature in the image, but I don’t watermark the work as I allow, through Creative Commons, that it be redistributed. But the one thing I don’t mark is process imagery. I never thought about it. And that’s what was blogged to Tumblr. Most likely, it was pulled right from Google Images.

Anyway, biggest bummer is that the real pic is so much better…

from here:
http://www.thirdraildesignlab.com/blog/ … ausen-jam/

Ah well! This is the game…

Follow this topic in the R3 Forum
here!… Read on for more awesome…

No related posts.

This week’s sketch jam here on TRDL R3? A design theme challenge: MAGIC. Draw anything magic-related. Magic heroes, magical spells, Magic the Gathering, dogs named Magic, whatever strikes your fancy!

[size=85][Yes this was posted a day early: I'm on baby watch, so I had an opportunity and took it. Remember, all jams are always active, so if you're still working on a Supergirl piece, keep at it!)[/size]

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The TRDL/ R3 Jam runs weekly but remains open indefinitely. It can be found on the Third Rail Design Lab R3 Forum here,
and on DeviantArt in the TRDL R3 WeeklyJam group here.
http://thirdraildesignlab.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=22244… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. 2012 R3 Challenge 13: Captain Marvel 2013 (Marvel)
2. 2012 R3 Challenge No. 13: Batman- Gotham by Gaslight
3. TRDL Tribute: Supergirl 2010 [Tulio Design]

The new Third Rail Design Lab cards finally arrived. This is the third print run of the same design. The first two were by Zazzle. They effed up the first run by not printing the back, then the second by wildly inconsistent bleed cuts. I always wanted to try Clubflyers and FINALLY did, and yep, they did a bang-up job. Perfect. And in copious quantities. So be warned, if you email me, write me, order something from TRDL, you’re going to get hit in the face by a sack of business cards, in an old timey Buster Keaton style. Fall funny for me!

Follow this topic in the R3 Forum
here!… Read on for more awesome…

Related posts:

1. TRDL Tribute- Zatanna (Cards)

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