Can you trust the Grim Reaper?

Maybe not behind you. Pro life tip, have Death walk up front.

Fine. Tell me how to draw the Grim Reaper.

1. Start with a sketch. I use blue pencil line, even when working digitally. You might say “But Ryan, blue line is an old school technique for scanning cleaner line art, and is not necessary for digital art.” Too which I’d reply “Yes, but blue is also easy to see over/under reference images, or under digitally inked lines.” I also set the type in blue when I’m using it. Also, use what you want, I don’t care.
2. Find reference images. The sketch worked out composition and broadly what props the illustration needs. I used 4 reference images: skull, monk robes, skeleton hand, and a scythe.
3. Ink it! I draw the entire image in black first. If it works in black, it’ll work in colour. Don’t forget to vary line weights for visual interest.
4. Colour it! For something like this, which has that comic pop art vibe, I use layer overlays with colour in them. It’s easy to swap out colours to try different combos.
5. Share it with the world and be somewhat disappointed nobody really cares. I mean, there are much more important things going on, so no big deal.

This comic art was illustrated in Procreate, using an iPad Pro. The type is based on Futura, the deathliest of the geometric typefaces. It’s true, ask around.

What else is there?

I’m glad you asked! You can watch me draw the Grim Reaper in a fun time lapse video on Youtube.

Impress your friends with a new t-shirt

Go to Redbubble and and get this design on a shirt, socks or whatever. Full colour version, or grey line art version. It would look really good on you, for sure.

The Grim Reaper is a man you can trust

I mean, you can trust Death to be death, you know? So maybe just expect him to be who he is and you won’t be disappointed. And don’t walk in front of him. No no no.

This comic art was illustrated in Procreate, using an iPad Pro. The type is based on Futura, the deathliest of the geometric typefaces. It’s true, ask around.

Watch me draw the Grim Reaper

Watch me draw this grim reaper art in a fun time lapse video.

Impress your friends with a new t-shirt

Go to Redbubble and and get this design on a shirt, socks or whatever. Full colour version, or grey line art version. It would look really good on you, for sure.

Are hazmat suits all the rage in the future?

Yes. Everyone is wearing them. Even the dogs wear them. They are worn outside, and inside, and when sleeping, and when showering. Basically anytime people want to breathe air and not burst into flames from the inside out, they wear one of these fashionable, protective and dare I say handsome suits.

That sounds awful.

It’s not so bad. They come in fun trendy colours. The spring collection this year was a real gas.

I don’t think you can really see the future.

Way to go, Sherlock, I’m no fortune teller. This is my tongue-in-cheek pop art response to all the doom and gloom these days. Threat of nuclear weapons? World war three on the horizon? Apocalypse? Sure, the end of the world is a scary premise, but at least the nuclear fallout will kill us slowly and painfully.

I choose optimism, pesimistically. I’m sure we’ll all be fine. Fine-ish. Finish? Yes, that’s it. We’re finished.

This comic art drawing was illustrated using Procreate on an iPad Pro, and Apple Pencil, with an unhealthy dose of skepticism for the future of all humanity. Type was based on Cooper Black, the go-to typeface for future dystopian hellscapes.

I’m tired of this website. Where else can I go?

Good question. Watch me draw hazmat suit guy in a fun time lapse video on Youtube. There’s music! And movement! And hope for the future!

If you really, really like this drawing, and need to prove to all your friends how sophisticated your fashion sense is, get hazmat suit guy on a t-shirt!

The official symbol of classy parties everywhere

If this llama showed up to a kids birthday wearing aviator sunglasses and a jaunty birthday hat it would be the life of the party. It would tell jokes, perform tricks, and be everyone’s bff. 

If this llama showed up to an adult birthday, it would be late, very drunk, spend the night hitting on your wife, and found the next morning passed out in the azaleas.

Postcard illustration art designed in Procreate on an iPad Pro.

Watch me draw this party llama

I made a video! You can watch me draw this awesome party llama in a silly time lapse video on Youtube. Go see how the sausage is made. The llama sausage.

Party llama shirts, stickers, and more

Attend your next birthday, shindig, or hoedown wearing an official Party llama t-shirt from Redbubble – full colour version and grey line art version.

Ka-blooie!

The cover art for Survival Anxiety issue 2 was created digitally in Procreate. The logo for the zine was added in Affinity Publisher. The zine contained stories and comics with an absurdist bent on life and the universe, with the primary comic story focusing on mental health, and creative blocks. The cover illustration, showing a sort of brain explosion connects to this central idea.

Learn more about Survival Anxiety Comics & Stories zine

Read more about Survival Anxiety Comics & Stories #2, including an issue summary, index of contents, and sample pages.

Don’t panic

The cover illustration for Survival Anxiety #1 was created using ink and ink washes on water colour paper. The zine title text was added in Procreate, and the zine logo added in Affinity Publisher. The zine’s primary theme was surviving the pandemic, and keeping with the absurdist viewpoint of the accompanying illustrations, comics and writing, a giant screaming baby head on the cover seemed a good fit.

Learn more about Survival Anxiety Comics & Stories zine

Read more about Survival Anxiety Comics & Stories #1, including an issue summary, index of contents, and sample pages.