All posts tagged Artwork

Inktober 2026 #4: Cactus

 Martin · 1 hour
A black and white illustration of a cactus arm bent into an infinity symbol and floating over the background. The symbol is tilted to the left slightly, so that the bottom curve looks like it is hovering just above the ground. The same curve is a little smaller than the other. The cactus has ridges and is covered with tufts of spikes. The background is a grainy gray with a light glow on the left side.

Today's Inktober prompt was "cactus", and I thought it might be fun to make an unusual shape with a cactus arm. I'll call this one "infini-cactus".

I regret that I wasn't able to stick to the Halloween-ish theme from my first three Inktober drawings, but I also just didn't feel like drawing a cactus monster (or something like that).

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Inka brush for linework and fills, the Soft air brush for blending and shading, and the Flicks spray paint brush for texture.

2026artartworkillustrationinktoberipad proprocreate
10 0

Inktober 2026 #3: Miniature

 Martin · 18 hours
A black and white illustration of a large monster standing over some houses in the countryside. The monster is top-heavy and about 5 times taller than the houses. He has stubby legs, large feet, hands hanging slack by his sides, horns, and a tiny face. He is covered in fur that is lit by the moon behind him. He is making a sad, disgruntled face. The houses have glowing windows, and the background is a cloudy, starry night with a full moon almost behind the monster.

Today's Inktober drawing is for the prompt "miniature", and naturally, I decided to draw a large monster (with a miniature face).

I'm not sure if all of my illustrations for this project are going to be loosely Halloween-themed, but... maybe?

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Inka brush for linework, the Soft air brush for shading, and the Hartz brush for texture.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkillustrationinktoberipad proprocreate
97 0

Inktober 2026 #2: Relic

 Martin · 1 day
A black and white illustration of a skull sitting on a small pedestal. The skull is wrapped around the top with two bands covered in runes, and a necklace with geometric beads on it is draped over the top, with the beads resting on the ground next to the pedestal. The eye sockets of the skull are filled with shiny beads and a melted candle is on top of the skull. The candle is lit, and it is casting a dim light around the skull. The background is black.

Today's Inktober prompt was "relic", and it took me a while to settle on an idea for it. I ended up going with this skull thing, wrapped with runic bands, a necklace, and topped with a candle. It's relic enough, I think. 😜

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Inka brush for linework, and the Old Brush and Sassafras brushes for shading and texture.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkillustrationinktoberipad proprocreate
116 0

Inktober 2026 #1: Apple

 Martin · 2 days
A black and white illustration of a witch conjuring a poisoned apple. The witch has white skin and black hair and has her head thrown back in a big cackle. She is wearing a dark gray robe and witch hat and has one hand out with palm upward. An apple with a sad face is floating over it. The other hand is hovering over the top of the apple. A poison cloud is wisping off of the apple. The background is a grungy gray.

I'm back to daily illustrations today for the first day of Inktober 2026! This is my eleventh year participating and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can come up with!

Today's inaugural drawing is for the prompt "apple" and is of a witch creating a poisoned apple.

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Inka brush for linework and shapes, and the Old Brush, Old Beach, and Plimsoll brushes for texture. For this series, I've decided to follow the "official" prompts and creating everything in black and white.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkillustrationinktoberipad proprocreate
137 0

June Toons 2026 #30: Detective Rooster

 Martin · 95 days
A cartoon illustration of a rooster wearing a Sherlock Holmes cloak and hat and peering through a magnifying glass. The rooster is squinting with one eye and leaning forward, like he's concentrating. He is looking at a tiny set of words through the magnifying glass, which read "THE END". The rooster is pink with a gold beak and red comb and wattle. His eyes are a dark green. His cloak and hat are brown with a darker grid pattern over it. He is light brightly form the right. The magnifying glass is gold with a dark green handle. The background is a muted blue with a large white ellipse behind the rooster and the words "THE END".

I'm closing out this year's June Toons with another cartoon inspired by my son. Detective Rooster was a thing we came up with while I was playing with him one day, with a couple of random toys, trying to tie all the toys together somehow.

Detective Rooster solves cases around the neighborhood park, and all the local kids are constantly asking for his help. He's not the best detective, but he always solves the case somehow! 😊

As always, this was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching and the Syrup brush for everything else.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

You can watch all of the drawings from this project be created at this YouTube playlist.

Thanks to everyone who followed along with this project. I hope you had as much fun seeing each new cartoon as I did drawing them!

2026artartworkcartoonillustrationipad projune toonsprocreate
1044 0

June Toons 2026 #28: Skeptical Moose

 Martin · 97 days
A cartoon illustration of a moose holding his chin in his hand and looking skeptical. The moose is looking up and to the side, away from the viewer, and one eye is squinting. He is brown with gold antlers. The background is a bold green that gets brighter on the right edge.

For today's June Toons cartoon, I drew a moose looking awfully skeptical. Not sure what he's skeptical about though, you'll have to ask him! 🫎

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Syrup brush for linework, and the Soft air brush for shading.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkcartoonillustrationipad projune toonsprocreate
455 0

June Toons 2026 #27: Unspooled

 Martin · 98 days
A cartoon illustration of a tape cassette with the tape unspooled and out of the case. The tape's reel spools are X's and it has a downturned mouth with tongue sticking out. The tape is looped and twisted above it. The tape is pink and has a white label with green stripes. The tape is orange with cream highlights. The tongue is a bright raspberry color. All of it is casting a hard black shadow on top of a gold background.

Today's June Toons cartoon is of a tape cassette that has become unwound a bit. 😵

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching and the Rough Liner brush for everything else.

The Rough Liner brush is from the Stipple Studio pack, by True Grit Texture Supply.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkcartoonillustrationipad projune toonsprocreate
483 0

June Toons 2026 #26: Remote Slide

 Martin · 99 days
A cartoon illustration of a TV remote sliding down a children's slide. The TV remote is curved into a sitting position and flying off the bottom end of the slide. It has a smiling face and two arms spread out above it, and it looks like it's having fun. The slide behind it is drawn in a distorted, stylized way. The remote is dark red, the slide is red and white, and the background is orange. The colors are offset from the lines, as if the drawing was printed, and it is shaded with a halftone pattern and has a distressed effect applied.

Today's June Toons cartoon is of a TV remote sliding down a slide. I asked my son what to make and this was his suggestion. 😄

This was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Syrup brush for linework, the Rough Dot Shader - 45° Light brush for shading, and the Worn 1 - Subtle brush for texture.

The Rough Dot brush is from the Beat Tones pack, and the Worn brush is from the Fast Grit pack, both by True Grit Texture Supply.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkcartoonillustrationipad projune toonsprocreate
451 0

June Toons 2026 #25: Lady and the Chump

 Martin · 100 days
A cartoon illustration of the dogs from Lady and the Tramp in the famous spaghetti scene. Tramp is on the left, puckering up for a kiss with his eyes closed. Lady is on the right, slurping up a strand of spaghetti, but looking shocked as she sees that the other end of the pasta is going into a rat's mouth. The rat is sitting under Tramp and has a big smile on his face. A plate is on a table in the foreground. It has a single strand of spaghetti on it, and a meatball close to Lady. Tramp is gray with a light streak on his mouth and going down his belly. Lady is brown with a similar light streak around her mouth and up the center of her face. The rat is light blue with a light streak around his mouth and going down his belly. The background is a warm gray-brown, with a slight spray paint splatter behind the plate and Lady.

I'm not sure what inspired today's June Toons illustration, but I thought I'd make something a little more complicated with multiple characters, and something got me thinking about this old movie.

This joke has been done a hundred times already, I'm sure, but it was still fun to draw, and I enjoyed practicing doing a looser style once more. It's really hard for me to break out from wanting characters to be dimensionally believable, instead of just doing it in a more cartoon/illustrative way... but practice helps.

Anyway, this was created in Procreate with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, using the Procreate Pencil brush for sketching, the Syrup brush for linework, and the Fat Nozzle spray paint brush and Grunge brush for background texture.

If you'd like to see how I drew this one, you can watch the time-lapse below:

2026artartworkcartoonillustrationipad projune toonsprocreate
515 0