Sofawolf 2011 Shirt Design

This year, I was happy to be asked to design the 2011 Sofawolf Press shirt! I finished it earlier this month, but with AnthroCon creeping up, I figure now's a good time to post it. :]

You'll be able to get the shirts from the Sofawolf Press dealer's table at AnthroCon in June, or online from their website starting July 1st (here's a link, which also has the two previous shirt designs from 2010 and 2009!)


And here's the original thumbnail sketch I did, and a few color variations I made for the fellows at Sofawolf to pick and choose from. I'm glad they went with the aurora one, as that was my favorite of the bunch. :]

Across Thin Ice, Hardcover Pre-Orders Today!

www.NORDGUARD.com | | Nordguard on Blogspot || @nordguard on Twitter
So, in case you missed it, that comic I've been working on for the last two years has finally been wrapped up, off to the publishers, and subsequently, off to the printers (and I am happy)!
The whole Official Announcement can be found over this a-way, but here's the cliff-notes:

-Across Thin Ice, first of the three Nordguard books, is finished. Hurray! :]

-The book will be available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Both will have all 75 full color pages of the comic, and the softcover is 9x11.5" in size. The hardcover is a bit larger, and also has a snazzy map in the front unique to that edition.

-The softcover copies are $19.95, and the hardcovers are $39

-It will initially be released at AnthroCon, June 23rd 2011, and softcover editions will be available online from the Sofawolf Press website starting July 1st 2011.

-Afterward it's for sale online July 1st, the softcover will be available in person at most major comic and fandom conventions Sofawolf Press either distributes to or attends, such as Comic Con in San Diego and EuroFurence in Germany. (The hardcover may or may not be available, depending on if they have sold out of the copies. If the demand warrants it for the hardcovers, Sofawolf will consider running a second edition printing of the hardcover. There will be plenty of softcovers to go around, however.)

-This and all further Nordguard books will be rated for young adults and older due to some violence and language and dead bodies. I'm not sure when the next one will hit the shelves, but I plan to start working on it again at the end of the summer. The good news there is that some of it is already finished! ;]

-Pre-orders for the signed Hardcover Edition have started TODAY! Click here!

The pre-orders will run until either next Saturday, or all the copies have been sold. You can either have your copy mailed to you (which will go out July 1st) or pick it up at AnthroCon with a valid ID.

Yesterday, Sofawolf Press made a short announcement about the pre-orders, with more information on how to get them, including their international shipping information!


I had said it in the official announcement, but I'd like to say it again--thank you to everyone for your patience and interest in the comic, for the moral support, buying Nordguard patches, checking out the LiveStreams, and for all the kind comments and encouragements!


And now, I am off to enjoy this new thing called "spare time," as well as spring, which has finally come after a very long winter! ;]

Acrylic on Wood

"Intent" (11.5"x24")
Lioness, based on a couple photos I took of her at the Denver Zoo.

I am home again after a week and some days absence, and a few thousand miles more on the odometer. I spent some time on top of a mountain, some time in a valley, and most of the time painting and sketching. I did a few acrylic paintings on wooden boards salvaged from a dumpster.

Here's a few photos of painting "Intent"




These two, "Lemmikki Paws" (9"x13") and "Trondheim" (11.5"x24") are based on a some photos I took while learning to drive a dogsled and wrangle the dogs a few years ago.


"Cazador" (13"x14.5")
Jaguar, based on a couple photos I took of him at the Denver Zoo last fall.

Anyhow, I am back again and have a few things in mind to work on for AnthroCon, some emails to get back to, a couple loose ends to tie up, and the time (and stable Internet) to start digging into a few of those Hogwarts badges. Later today, I'll be posting the official Across Thin Ice release announcement! Stay tuned!

Free Hogwarts Badges

Across Thin Ice, the first of the Nordguard books, is officially finished. While I wrapped up my part a week ago, the publisher has finished their end, of layout and final checks. They’ve sent it off to the printers and I can breathe easy again. I’ve been getting more than four hours a sleep a night for the first time in months, which feels amazing. Waking up with a clean slate, no deadlines and absolute artistic freedom again is pretty fantastic as well. No more sled dogs, no more snow, no more comic pages—for a least a couple months. It’s just the first book of three, after all. ;]

Anyway. In a few days, I’ll post more, with all of the official Across Thin Ice information, like the cover, the release date, the online sale date, and prices for the soft and hard cover editions.



But now, it’s time for something completely different. Free badges.

Earlier this year, while working on Across Thin Ice, I listened to the entire Harry Potter series on audiobook, narrated by Stephen Fry. I had read them before when they were coming out, but I loved listening to them again. I realized there was so much I had missed in my reading frenzy to figure out what happens. If you like Harry Potter and haven’t listened to the Stephen Fry versions, you are really doing yourself a disservice. No offense to the other guy who did the American audiobooks, but Stephen Fry is wholly awesome. And he does a great Ron. But, moving on…
I was already excited about AnthroCon’s theme this year when they announced it-- Anthropomorphic Institute of Magic. By the time I’d finished the 100+ hours of Harry Potter, I really wanted to do some Hogwarts themed badges, and the more the merrier. So, I figured I’d offer free badges. However, here’s the tricky part:

This is just for people who are attending AnthroCon, and it is only for Harry Potter/Hogwarts themed badges. I ask that people fill out the little questionnaire below and email it to AC.HP.Badge[at]gmail.com
I will pick email entries out at random, and do badges as I have the time between other paintings, before AnthroCon. You can pick up your badge at my table (where it will be delivered by owl) at AnthroCon—I won’t be mailing any, I’m sorry. I’m not sure how many I’ll be able to do, but more than six and less than could fit in a breadbox is probably a good estimation. ;]

Here’s a few samples I made. If your email is one that I pick, your badge will look akin to these, be 3x4 inches, with your character in appropriate house robes, the house title below your name, etc.

So, if you’re interested and attending AnthroCon in June…
Email your answers for the questions below, to: AC.HP.Badge[at]gmail.com

1. Name displayed on badge:

2. A link to your character’s reference image (2 max, please.)

3. Which one of the four Hogwarts Houses you’d be in:
OR, if you’d rather be from Beauxbatons or Durmstrang.
OR, if you’d rather be disguised as a muggle…which means I get to dress your character in heinously mismatching outfits, as a wizard would wear who is pretending to be “normal.”

4. (Optional) Your favorite subject in school (ie Potions, Transfiguration, Quidditch, etc.):

5. (Optional) If you want to have an owl in your badge, let me know what kind! Same goes with small animals like snakes, rats or cats.

The cutoff date for entries is May 10th. Don’t submit more than once, please—if I see the same email or same characters, it’ll disqualify your entry. If I finish yours, I’ll let you know via email if you have a badge waiting for you at AnthroCon.
And if you can’t attend AnthroCon or hate Harry Potter, I apologize, and perhaps someday I’ll be able to offer something more up your alley. ;]