BAGPIPIN' FOR THE SEASON!!!

We are back!  Have I told y'all before just how much I love the Fall?  I don't know.  Maybe it's the food, maybe it's the weather, maybe it's because it's the prelude to the holidays, but there's just something about the Fall Season that's just so special to me.  There's nothing nicer than hot cider and a slice of spice cake on a cool Autumn's eve...  Getting a tear in my eye just typing that!  Anyhoo, I got some art!  It's rendered in colored pencils!  You should scroll down and check it out!  Enjoy...

Hello there! It's Gerty MacGrouse!  She's a little Scottie bird, a grouse to be precise, who plays the bagpipes and wears a kilt and a glengarry!  She initially came to the Crazy Forest to teach music, and was nearly driven crazy by her students, but all ended well when the critters showed Gerty how much of a difference she made in their lives and how much they wanted her to stay!  She still appears in Bubble Fox comics from time to time, as recently as this year even, being among the patients wedged into the Balloon Ward at Stokes General Hospital!  This piece came out considerably better than last week's art featuring Nega Bubble.  Again, the colors on Gerty herself blended very well (Smaller Area = Easier Blending).  The background actually looks pretty good all things considered.  Sharper lines can offer greater contrast, but the point of colored pencils is smooth transitions.  Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.

Another week down as we head to the halfway point of September!  But never fear, for we got some more colorful art dancing its way over, so be sure to come back and cheer it on!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

WELCOME TO COLORFUL SEPTEMBER CRAZIES!!!

Well, another September is upon us, and with it, another Fall!  The Spooking Season has arrived!  I tell ya, I am ready for some crisp Autumn weather.  This past Summer was miserably hot and made it damn near impossible to enjoy anything.  BRING ON THE COLD!!!  Anyway, enough talk, it's time for some art!  For the past couple of years, September has highlighted some of my efforts with colored pencils, and I see no reason to change things now.  So scroll down and see the first of this month's CRAZY, hand-rendered, fine art offerings!  Enjoy...

Oh my!  He's vicious!  He's dastardly!  He's cunning!  Or at least he wants to be!  It's Bubble Fox's arch nemesis, Nega Bubble, Bubble's evil opposite self from a parallel dimension!  Whereas Bubble Fox is orange, Nega Bubble is Blue.  While Bubble Fox is kind and caring, Nega Bubble is evil and nasty.  And while Bubble Fox isn't necessarily the smartest, he is swift and crafty, of which Nega Bubble isn't, hence the reason Bubble Fox is always able to trick his foe into defeat anytime he shows up!  This piece could have turned out better if I'm being honest.  The blends on Nega Bubble came out great, but the backgrounds definitely did not transition very smoothly.  Admittedly, smoother blends are easier to accomplish on a smaller scale, as Nega Bubble doesn't take up much space in this piece.  To pull off a smoother background, I would've needed about six additional colors in-between the four already used.  Colored pencils are a time consuming process, but well worth the effort!

That's one week down as we kickoff September, but fear not!  Another more legend of the CRAZYVERSE will be making their way here next week in a newly rendered post!  So be sure to come back and give it a look!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BUBBLE AND PEPPER: LOONY BALLOONISTS!!!

 

I'll keep it short this week.  Summer's coming to an end, it's super hot right now and the annual Guest Month is kicking off for Bubble Fox!  That won't affect the posting schedule for here since it's all cleaned up reposts anyway.  I do have some fun and VERY colorful posts coming your way that I'm excited to show off!  One of the reasons I take a month off every year is to not only rest and recharge for a bit, but also to work on other art, even learn knew skills and techniques.  I'm very behind on colored pencil work, so it'll be nice to catch up on those finally.  An artist never rests.  Even on break, I'm busy!

Well, that's a wrap on August 2026, but fear not!  We are gonna start fall off right with so much color it'll make Rainbow Brite lose her mind even!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

BOYSENBERRY BERRY COOL!!!

We are back again CRAZIES!!!  Hard to believe we're just under two weeks away from the start of the fall season.  Well, actual fall starts in a month, but for all intents, the flags go away and the pumpkins come out the second the clock strikes midnight on Labor Day!  Since we still have a bit of summer left, let's cool off with some Fan Art, shall we?  Enjoy...

Would ya look at that?  It's Marigold, Heavenly Nostrils and her kid, Phoebe from the popular comic strip, Phoebe And Her Unicorn!  And they are all decked out for the annual Boysenberry Fest at Knott's Berry Farm!  Phoebe brings up a very good point though.  As adorable and scientifically accurate as her boysenberry costume might be, it's not very practical for going on rides, of which most can't accommodate a creature of equine origin either!  I'm sure Marigold will simply yell "UNICORN" and make it all work somehow!  A longtime favorite of mine, Phoebe And Her Unicorn is the creation of cartoonist Dana Simpson, who also created the beloved Ozy & Millie.  Phoebe and Marigold recently wrapped up their run as a daily comic as Dana looks to focus more on long-form adventures starring the two.  Thankfully, we still get a weekly dose of their shenanigans as a Sunday strip, and who knows?  Maybe someday, Phoebe and Marigold will don their boysenberry looks for real?  (Hey!  An artists can hope, can't he?)

Well, another week down as we head towards the fall, but cheer up!  We may only have one post left for August, but I'll make sure we end the summer on a high note!  So be sure to come back next week and see what floats in!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

ROOT BEER PARTY DEEP CUT!!!

Well, after nine long weeks, we're back to normal here at the CRAZYVERSE.  I'm actually okay with it.  Frankly, these art posts are much easier and quicker to queue up!  As many of you know, one of my favorite things to post here is fan art.  It's always fun to play in somebody else's sandbox for a little bit, as it gives you a new perspective while trying to get the characters right.  We're only getting a couple bits of fan art this month, but they were among the most fun to work on!  So scroll down and see who's up first!  Enjoy...

It's no secret that amongst web cartoonists, root beer is our carbonated beverage of choice!  Of course, not all brands are created equal, as few can truly hold a candle to the amazing flavor of Barq's Root Beer!  There are a few, a VERY small few at that, that prefer A&W Root Beer.  It's not bad, but it just ain't Barq's.  Unfortunately, my pal Kim Belding, creator of Picpak Dog, just can't see the light and wouldn't stop harassing the good fans of Barq's Root Beer, so, as a way to get him to let up, I drew this fan art for him depicting Picpak humiliating Cartoon Me and Mike & Mindy as well.  We all made a great sacrifice so that Kim could feel big about himself while also taking a shot at this nasty soap-flavored gum he sent me as a gag gift once!  But it worked, and now cartoonists can drink Barq's in an stress-free environment once again.  In reality, Kim is one of my closest friends in comics and easily among the funniest to ever pick up a pen.  And although our root beer preferences can get a little intense sometimes, it's always been. in good fun and has always led to funny moments with our characters.  This art has also been in my archives for 11 years now!  Feels good to finally clean it up and post it!

That's all for this week, but we'll be back at it again seven days from now with some flavorful fan art for a very magical duo!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY!!! GOING GLOBAL!!!

Welcome back to the CRAZYVERSARY dear CRAZIES!!!  As you can see in the top pic, Mike and Mindy have floated out of San Diego and are on their way to any place the wind takes them!  (And before any of you ask, go check out last July's Comic Con splash page to see what led to their buoyant posteriors!)  A lot of pals in the web comic realm really wanted to see them travel, so I put it out there in an art challenge called #MMGoGlobal!  I got quite a few entries so far, and I'd like to share a few of them with you now as we continue to celebrate the Terrible Tykes' birthdays!  So scroll down and see where they head to first!  Enjoy...

First up, the kids head off to Lively, Ontario way up in Canada where they meet up with their old pals Gayle and Gloria from Off Season!  These kids often had a fierce rivalry out on the playing fields, but always shared laughs after the games were through.  As they floated by, little Gayle tried so hard to reach out for Mike's shoelace, but the winds blew in and changed the puffed pals' course!  It was a nice try at least!  Thanks to my dear pal Warren Frantz for this hilarious take!  Gubble Bum may strike soon here!

The winds didn't blow them too off course it seems as Mike and Mindy are still in Ontario, but have now floated over to Toronto where they meet up with their pal Lollipop and her trusty dog, Fraser!  Lollipop was happy to show the Buoyant Buds around, but the winds came in again, blowing them dangerously close to the sharp point of the CN Tower!  Luckily, they just missed it and they headed east.  Thanks to the always wonderful Jennifer Cuthbert for showing them around!  I hope Bubble Fox is behaving himself in that continuity! 

When I said east, I didn't realize just how strong those winds were!  Mike and Mindy have made it to Merry Old England where they encounter the very merry Dog and not-so-merry Cat, stars of the hilarious comic strip, What?  Cat is not known for his welcoming demeanor, and today proves not different for the Balloon Bozos!  Thankfully, he's a cat and as such has terrible aim!  Thank you to the great Anthony Moorin, aka, Weird Bean!  Going the extra mile and putting them into a comic made my day!  Thanks again Bean Of Weird!

Where will Mike & Mindy float to next?  We'll be seeing in the very near future I assure you!  It's busy times all over right now, hence the reason the CRAZYVERSARY is being cut short this year.  But there are quite a few locations that they have visited so far and I can't wait to show you all!  In the meantime, watch the sky!  You never know when they might float by!

And that's a wrap on the CRAZYVERSARY!!!  I know, it was way too short this year.  But there is a good reason, for you see, something big is starting up again next week!  For those of you who've been around this blog for awhile now, you can probably guess what's coming: The CRAZY WonderCon Countdown!  That's right folks!  It's that time of year again, and starting next week, we are going into eight weeks straight of WonderCon coverage!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MIKE & MINDY!!! 16 YEARS AND STILL CRAZY!!!

Welcome to February CRAZIES!!!  Already a month in, can you believe it?  Lots of big things coming up  this month.  Valentines Day, Presidents Day, the CRAZYVERSARY...  What's that?  You forgot about the CRAZYVERSARY?!?  Well, let's fix that right here and now!  Yes folks, it was 16 years ago this very week that Mike, Mindy and a very young, unsure cartoonist and writer all took their first steps towards web infamy!  It's certainly been an interesting ride to say the least, some lows, but far more highs,  I can honestly say it has been an absolute pleasure creating these silly comics and writing these blog posts for you CRAZY faithful!  And although Mike & Mindy ended their five-year run back in December of 2014, they still have fans, and every so often, I'm gifted some fan art of the Terrible Tykes!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and take a look for yourself!  Enjoy...

Oh Mike and Mindy.  Those two sure did seem to get inflated a lot.  They must've really enjoyed having squeaky voices afterwards?  A good many of you will likely remember this gag from one of their most memorable comics where they inflated themselves with an air compressor and use the propulsion from deflating to get to get school on time, only to learn that they'd had the day off all along!  Well, that comic also inspired a host of pals and fans online to take part in a Draw This In Your Style challenge that led to a fun blog post several years ago with many takes.  Well, my good pal Alex Schumacher wanted in on it too and recently delivered this wonderful and insanely detailed take on that legendary moment!  Alex Schumacher is an incredible cartoonist and illustrator whose resume speaks volumes.  That he was willing to take time out of his insanely busy schedule, which included tending to a newborn baby, really means a lot to me!  Seeing this classic cartoon trope rendered in such a detailed and realistic way is also very mind blowing!  Thanks again Alex for puffing up my cartoon kids reminding everybody about the trouble that having an inflated ego can cause!

That's all for this first week of February, but fear not!  We got a little more bloated fun to have with Mike & Mindy next week as we wrap up the CRAZYVERSARY festivities a little early this year.  Why such a short celebration?  Well, you'll have to come back next week to see!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

SUPER KID!!! THE NOT-SO-SUPER INFLATION BUSTER!!!

Well, we're a few days away from being a month into 2026.  Hopefully things are going good so far (I tend type these out well in advance).  Know what is good though?  Comedy!  And you wanna know what's funny?  Bloated cartoon characters pumped so full of gas they're practically bursting!  And since we are still fighting Bad Inflation this month, we may as well send in a REAL hero to take care of things!  Who is this man of myth?  Scroll down and find out!  Enjoy...

Well...  A young man of myth at least!  Meet Superkid, the sworn protector of Walnut Street down to its first stop sign!  A true marvel of genetic engineering created by the sinister Dr. G, Superkid has super strength!  So long as he holds his breath, which usually isn't for very long.  He can also fly!  So long as his eyes are closed.  Come to think of it, his abilities aren't very practical at all!  But make him go to bed early, and the tantrum he throws is epic!  Mooney the Turtle isn't totally wrong though.  Sometimes a moral foe is the WORST foe!  I need to get onto that scurvy dog JW Cornelius about using Superkid in the comics more often!  He's clearly got charisma!  That or he's full of hot air!

And that's a wrap on January 2026!  I do have some cool stuff lined up for February, including the return of the CRAZY WonderCon Countdown!  But in addition to that, it is also the birthdays my original cartoon stars, Mike & Mindy, and their awesomeness MUST be celebrated!  So stay TOONED for that one!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

INFLATED EGOS AND SWELLED HEADS!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  We are already having quite the ball here at the halfway point (ALREADY?!?) of January 2026!  And of course, you can't really have a ball without inflation, for THAT is what makes a ball round and buoyant!  And speaking of round and buoyant, we got some art below that will keep the ball rolling as we continue our fight against bad inflation with funny inflation!  So tie yourself down and read on!  Enjoy...

Ego can be a dangerous thing (Something we're learning daily, sadly).  It can be even more dangerous when said ego is inflated more grossly than a Macy's parade float!  And here, Peppermint Twist from Jennifer Cuthbert's Adventure's Of Lollipop comics demonstrates why it's better to be humble about things!  Although PT, as Bubble calls her, normally is sweet natured and loyal, she can be quite greedy and pigheaded at times, especially when things are going her way!  After she and Bubble Fox were given their own talk show on Canadian TV after a magic show gone hilariously wrong, she's let the success of it all go to her head.  And her arms.  And her gut.  And especially her huge butt!  If she don't curb her attitude soon, she'll be stretched completely spherical and have her own gravitational pull!  That or get a wicked case of gas, whichever is funniest!

Another week down as we float towards February, but I assure you the next two weeks will be a gas, likely because they are full of gas!  So be sure to come back and check it all out!  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE CRAZY INFLATION BUSTER 2026 IS HERE!!!

Welcome to 2026 CRAZIES!!!  New year, new opportunities, SAME PROBLEMS!!!  Yep, everything is much more expensive these days, and for very obvious reasons.  I, however, vowed long ago not to be topical in my work or posts, so instead I'll point my finger to an easy scapegoat: INFLATION!!!  And the best way to combat inflation is with even MORE inflation!  The cartoony kind to be precise!  So put away your economic fears and prepare for some belly laughs as the sight of these animated bellies stretched spherical will hopefully get a chuckle or two out of you!  Enjoy...

When it comes to cartoon foxes, they don't get any loonier than the great Bubble Fox!  And I'm not just saying that because he's my primary IP!  Bubble's been stretched every which way in his now 12th year of being a bad influence on children!  Today, he's hanging out with Marty & Spud, the creations of veteran cartoonist Matt Hansel who felt that Bubble was looking a little flat, so they decided to "Lift" his spirits while also "Expanding" his horizons, not to mention his waistline!  Last year, Matt was kind enough to do a doodle of Bubble meeting Marty and Spud for a cartoon playdate, as seen below...

As you can see, Bubble decided to help them test the limits of toon buoyancy, greatly inflating their expectations!  As Matt was a good sport about things, I felt it was only fair that young Marty and his feline pal get the last laugh as Bubble clearly had the first one.  It was well-rounded fun for everyone, and best of all, nobody questioned how any of them were able to float without helium!

Well, that's one week down for January 2026!  Only 51 more to go!  And for those of you still bummed about the holidays ending, just remember: There's only 352 more days until Christmas!  And only 322 more days before we are assaulted with nonstop holiday movies and music for two months straight, so how's about we just enjoy a few months of something different while we still can?  We'll back next week with more inflatable fun, so be sure to float back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZIES!!! BOTTOMS UP!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS CRAZIES!!!  I'll keep things short today as it's Christmas Eve and we're all pretty busy.  Bubble and pals got their tacky Christmas outfits on while Mike looks like he just punched a ticket for a lifetime on the Naughty List!  Some kids just can't help themselves!  Still, it's a festive setting and they look like they are having the time of their lives, as they should.  Christmas is a time for fun and festivities.  I hope you all have a fun, happy and safe Christmas tomorrow.  And for my friends who just celebrated Hanukah and my friends about to celebrate Kwanzaa, may your respective holidays be happy and fulfilling too!

Well, that's a wrap on Christmas, but not on December!  We'll be back next week with a 2025 finale that will hopefully get the New Year off to a booming start!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later.  Merry Christmas!

TOM TURKEY: CRAZIES DAY HERO!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  IT'S HERE!!!  THANKSGIVING IS FINALLY HERE!!!  So darn excited for the return of my favorite holiday!  There's so much to do, so much to prep!  It's funny to say because as I write this, we're still five days away from Halloween.  But I know that when this actually posts, I'll be up to my elbows in cornbread stuffing and pie dough!  It's a lot of work for sure, and I'm certain a lot of you are probably busy prepping for tomorrow as well, so why don't we just jump into today's toon and call it a week, sound good?  Great!  Enjoy...

All's well that ends well!  Tom Turkey survives for another year and Billy and Dorothy Brat are no longer flattened!  They also now have bodies that are as inflated as their egos and are the leading "Floats" in this year's CRAZIES Day Parade!  And you all probably thought Ol' Tommy wouldn't help them.  For shame!

And so ends another tricky tail of Tom Turkey.  Next year will likely be the final edition as I'm just plain running out of things to do with these guys.  That isn't to say they can't come back in the future if something else pops up!  Ultimately, I'd like to collect these all in a volume as a bit of a graphic novel/picture book hybrid.  It's high time Thanksgiving FINALLY get some multimedia respect with the other holidays! Until next year, google on Tom Turkey!

Well, that's a wrap on November, but never fear!  You know we got some holiday fun brewing up for Christmas, so be sure to come back next week and help us kick off December properly! I would also like to remind you, dear readers, again to please think of those less fortunate this holiday season.  It doesn't take much to help others in these dire times.  Please donate to food, clothing and toy drives if you can.  Even a quarter in a Salvation Army Bucket can make a difference.  Giving is a gift in its own right and the more we share, the better we can be.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and have a very happy, fun and safe Thanksgiving!  Oh, and may fate smile kindly upon you on Black Friday!

TOM TURKEY: TO THE RESCUE!!!

We are back CRAZIES!!!  One week to go before the big day!  Well, one week and a day, but if you're like me, you're probably gonna be starting some of your cooking early.  What can I say?  Thanksgiving week, time really is a luxury in my kitchen!  But now's not the time for that.  Now is the time for comedy!  Cartoon comedy!  And we have an especially high dose of that today!  Don't believe me?  Then scroll down and look!  Enjoy...

Boy, those poor Brat Twins sure look depressed.  Or is is that compressed?  Either way, good Ol' Tom Turkey is there to help them and I'm sure his plan is very uplifting!  Be sure to come back next week and see how it all wraps up!

Well, one week left in November, but fear not!  We're ending the month on a high note and sending you into Turkey Day with a belly full of laughs, so be sure to come back and check it out! I would like to remind you, dear readers, again to please think of those less fortunate this holiday season.  It doesn't take much to help others in these dire times.  Please donate to food, clothing and toy drives as they open.  Even a quarter in a Salvation Army Bucket can make a difference.  Giving is a gift in its own right and the more we share, the better we can be.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

TOM TURKEY: A SMASHING REVELATION!!!

Back again CRAZIES and halfway to Turkey Day!  I don't know about y'all, but I already have a good selection of Joel-Era episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 picked out for my own custom Turkey Day Marathon!  It was one of my favorite parts of childhood before Comedy Central ended it.  Thank God for DVD!  Anyhoo, I'm sure y'all are more interested in seeing if Tom Turkey will escape the Brat Twins' latest trap!  Granted, it's not their most elaborate attempt to capture the wily bird, but those two are completely out of their minds, and sometimes, that's dangerous enough!  Don't believe me?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

How did Tom Turkey escape this time?  Through sheer dumb luck!  Seriously, he wasn't even trying to evade the boulder nor was he even aware that it was coming!  Can't say I blame him.  Kennedy Half Dollars are pretty rare these days! (Based off the good Kennedy, not the insane one!)  Of course, that boulder's gotta land somewhere, and it's trajectory doesn't look particularly promising for Billy and Dorothy...

Ooh boy...  Talk about leaving an impression?!?  Looks like it's the Brat Twins that got flattened out!  Who'd have thought that rather benign dead tree in the background of the first page would have so much give?  AND torque?!?  Have the Brat Twins FINALLY met their match or will they have a Plan Z waiting for Tom Turkey?  Come back next week and find out!

Well, two weeks down, two more to go as we march towards Thanksgiving, but don't sweat! we still got more fun with Tom Turkey and the Brat Twins coming up, so stay TOONED!!!  I would like to remind you, dear readers, again to please think of those less fortunate this holiday season.  It doesn't take much to help others in these dire times.  Please donate to food, clothing and toy drives as they open.  Even a quarter in a Salvation Army Bucket can make a difference.  Giving is a gift in its own right and the more we share, the better we can be.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

TOM TURKEY AND THE PATH TO OBLIVION!!!

Welcome back CRAZIES!!!  November is here and I am excited!  Now, I know some of you are bummed about Halloween being over and I don't blame you.  It's a fun holiday with lots of candy and costumes, not to mention some of the best theme park events the whole year!  I miss it just typing it, and as I write this, it ain't even Halloween yet!  Of course, on the flip side of that, if Halloween doesn't pass, then we can't get to any of the other fun holidays coming up, and that would just be madness!  So here we are in November and what's on deck now?  Why, only my favorite holiday of them all: THANKSGIVING!!!  If you're new around these parts it's no secret that Turkey Reigns supreme here at CRAZY HQ.  From the parades, the food, the sporting events and especially the MST3K Turkey Day Marathon, I love it all about this holiday!  It's nearly impossible to hate!

Of course, if you're a turkey, your opinion of Thanksgiving might be a bit different.  Especially if two psychotic 3rd graders are constantly trying to make you their main course!  That's right folks, Tom Turkey is back again for another go around with those rotten Brat Twins!  What vicious plans do those Terrible Tykes have in store for the old bird this time?  Scroll down and see for yourself!  Enjoy...

Well well, those two certainly aren't wasting anytime!  The Twins are clearly more hinged than ever!  Although Billy is right, Dorothy wants more than food now.  She's thirsting for revenge and will stop at nothing to get it!  Can Tom Turkey dodge another proverbial bullet or will the Brat Twins be making sandwiches of his pressed remains?  Come back next week and find out!

That's it for this first week of November, but fear not!  More silly cartoon slapstick is coming your way next week, so stay TOONED!!!  And as we are now officially entering the holiday season, I would like to remind you, dear readers, to please think of those less fortunate this season.  Times are tough, easily the worst I've ever seen in my lifetime.  Many people are hoping for their miracle and with a little help, they can get them.  Please donate to food, clothing and toy drives as they open.  Even a quarter in a Salvation Army Bucket can make a difference.  Giving is a gift in its own right and the more we share, the better we can be.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE BEAST IS SUMMONED!!!

We are back my CRAZIES!!!  We are halfway there folks! Halloween is just two weeks away and I am totally in the spirit!  All my yard decorations are up (I swear one of these days I will do a post on those) and I've been lucky enough to take part in some of the festivities happening around Southern California.  I FINALLY go to Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights this year!  It was certainly different from anything I've ever done before, that's for sure.  If you've never been chased by a bunch of blond-soaked circus clowns carrying chainsaws before, then let me tell you it is a VERY novel experience!  But enough about that.  It's time for some spooky art, and today's piece is loud enough to summon the Hell Beast itself!  Enjoy...

Kazoos...  Quite possibly the only musical instrument hated more than an accordion!  Actually, accordions get a bad wrap in my opinion.  You can get some really unique sounds out of an accordion besides just using them in a polka.  Don't believe me?  Look up some Zydeco music or even some Fleetwood Mac songs that Christine McVie played accordion on.  You'll see!  But back to kazoos.  They are irritating as all get out and deserve all the hate, especially when played constantly by a kid hawked up on candy, cake and soda!  These boys might wanna make a run for it and soon, otherwise they might be blowing on those kazoos from a more southerly spot!  This piece came from my annual Fan Art Friday posts that I've done on-and-off since the pandemic more or less and was a gift for my pal Geoff Munn, creator of the hilarious comic #Parenting.  In it he portrays the daily misadventures of he and his wife as they navigate the waters of raising three good, but still rambunctious boys.  In one comic, his boys come home from a birthday party blowing on kazoos that were gifted to all the kids in their goody bags, prompting a VERY angry phone call to the birthday kid's parents!  It has become a bit of a running gag since as Geoff told me it has become a reoccurring thing at nearly EVERY birthday party his kids go to!  Take heart Geoff.  Your youngest is probably a good six years off from outgrowing them!

That's all for this week folks, but the spooks and screams are still strong as we work our way towards Halloween!  So don't chicken out because next week's post is definitely GASSY, er, I mean, GHASTLY!!!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

THE BUOYANT PLAYDATE!!!

Welcome to October CRAZIES!!!  We are there!  The Witching Hour...  The Haunting Season...  It is time for some Halloween fun!  I know y'all are excited and so am I!  After all, we're not that far off from turkey dinner and Christmas presents too, but one thing at a time.  I got some SPOOOOOOOKY art lined up all month long and it's time to see what's FLOATING up first!  Enjoy...

Oh my...  When Sunny and Mindy get together, you never know WHAT kind of shenanigans will happen!  These two kids were wild without all that helium!  Now that they're airborne, Vinnie might wanna get out of dodge before they deflate!  As you may have noticed from the signature date, this one's got some years on it.  Over TEN to be precise!  There's quite a few pieces from way-back-when that have yet to make their way here, something that will likely be changing soon now that all the various online art collectives I regularly took part in have seemingly ended.  This piece if I recall was done to cheer up my dear friend Tim Green who was going through a very rough spot.  Others followed suit leading to the wonderful #VivaVinnie collective that appeared on Twitter, back when politeness was still encouraged on social media.  Tim loved the art and even made Sunny's skull bloomers a part of her repertoire, which was fitting.  I doubt the vampire tot would be caught alive in Mindy's more colorful and cheerful Balloon Bloomers!

Well, that's one down in this extended month of October, but fear not, for we WILL be back next week with some art so terrifying, it may literally scare your pants off!  Come to think of it, maybe you should be a little fearful at least!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catchy y'all later!

SEPTEMBER SAP SPECIAL!!!

Alright CRAZIES!!!  We have OFFICIALLY reached Fall!  Granted, I've already been guzzling hot cider by the gallon since Labor Day, but now I can guzzle it and feel even MORE festive about it!  With any luck, I might even put up my Halloween decorations this weekend...  If I haven't already!  But, I know why y'all are really here and I'm anxious to reveal the next CRAZY Colored Pencil Portrait too, so let's get to it!  Enjoy...

The possum, or opossum if you wanna be technical about it.  The ultimate scavenger, these scuzzy little freeloaders will stop at nothing to get their fill, and there's no possum more daring than Sap O'Possum, the rascally third member of the Ragtags Trio and without question the Curly of those Stooges!  Typically easy going, Sap's long been the daredevil of the group, often being the one on the receiving end of the Ragtags' many big failures!  And yet, despite all that, he's proven to be a resilient, resourceful and insanely impervious little bugger who just keeps coming back for more!  He's been squashed, stretched, flattened and inflated, and yet he always bounces back!  A Top 5 fan favorite for sure amongst Bubble Fox Fans, Sap's probably my personal favorite character as he's really fun to write for.  So yeah, I wanted his Colored Pencil Portrait to be really badass when the time came!  This is one that I'm very happy about.  Not perfect, but the blending was much smoother this time around, proof that I was getting better the more I worked at it.  Gray is a color that pretty much goes with anything, so when I came across a tutorial that had a really cool aura effect to it, I decided to apply it to Sap.  I think it works pretty well!

And that's a wrap on September 2025!  Hard to believe we are entering the home stretch here.  I used to say time moves too fast when you get older, but frankly these days, it can't move fast enough!  But I promise we'll kick the witching month off right with some spooky art that's sure to scare your pants off!  Well, maybe socks at least.  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

HEAVY HITTER HEADING TO FALL!!!

We are back again!  That much closer to Fall and that much farther away from Summer!  This was a fun Summer too.  Despite the ills of the world trying their best to bring me down, I'm stubborn and dumb to let it all get to me and I keep plugging on!  Had some great visits to the San Diego County Fair, had an amazing time at Comic Con and enjoyed many fun moments with my family.  Let's bring on Autumn!  And let's bring on the art!  That's (HOPEFULLY!!!) why y'all are here, right?  Enjoy...

The Raccoon.  Also known as the "Trash Panda," he is nature's ultimate opportunist.  Mooch, however, is a little more sophisticated than that.  Though he's not opposed to digging for scraps in a garbage can, he enjoys gourmet cooking much more!  If Clover's the Moe of the Ragtags Trio, Mooch is certainly the Larry of the group!  Most often the voice of reason between two wild egos, he isn't immune to mischief himself.  He's just more coy about it!  Another Favorite amongst the Bubble Fox faithful, Moocher "Mooch" Raccoon can certainly hold his own, preferring brains over brawn, despite having somewhat prodigious girth!  The background colors here were another attempt at doing iridescence, only more green.  This too was inspired by a tutorial and certainly came out much better than the last, though there was still much practice needed.  Again, a softer touch was needed for the blending, but I was at least getting closer at least!  Practice makes perfect!

Well, only one more post to go here in September!  How will it end?  If you know your Bubble Fox characters, you probably have a pretty good idea who's next, but I won't spoil it for you.  So be sure sure to come back next week and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!

CAT'S OUTTA THE BAG!!!

We are back!  Hopefully y'all are enjoying the change in weather as Fall inches closer!  Gotta say, I'm seeing more and more spooky things creeping up in my neighborhood.  You'd think something scary might be heading our way in roughly seven weeks?!?  That or it's just a grungy old cat!  Either way, scroll down to get a glimpse at something truly spooky!  Enjoy...

Say?!?  That ain't some grungy old cat!  It's Clover J. Cat, the cutest kitten in the Crazy Forest!  Seriously, just ask her!  At times, she can be a dainty little flower, playing with her dolls and having tea parties, but if you choose to cross her, well...  Some things are best left unsaid!  The undisputed leader of the Ragtags, Clover is easily among the most popular and beloved characters in Bubble Fox.  Her cute facade hides a bossy demeanor that has long made her the Moe to Mooch's Larry and Sap's Curly in the Ragtags trio!  The background colors here were an interesting choice as I was trying for an iridescent, pearl-like finish based of a YouTube tutorial I was watching.  Needless to say, the tutorial looked much better!  For those looking to try colored pencils it's really important to remember when blending colors, you wanna do it with either a medium or medium-to-medium firm pressure.  Slower the better, especially with larger spaces.  It's probably not lost on anybody that the colors on Clover herself are much smoother looking.  That's because I used a much softer hand and had a smaller, more controlled space to color.  Like I said last week, it's all trial and error.  You get better with each try.

Another week down as we head to the halfway point of September, but fear not!  We got even more Colored Pencil Portraits coming to keep things balanced!  So be sure to come back and check it out!  Until then, take care, stay safe and I'll catch y'all later!