The Legion of Super Heroes

Ta Daaah! 
And right on time for Comic Con 2015 ladies and gents may I present to you: "The Legion of Super Heroes Monstruos Group Shot!"
As I mentioned before, Legion fans keep in mind this group shot doesn't actually have a continuity timeline. In fact it doesn't make any sense! I was just adding every single character I've drawn that was Legion related all in one mega poster. There are even Wanderers, Heroes of Lallor, dead characters, Blast Off and Wildfire which are one and the same, 60's and contemporary characters. Sorry for the big enchilada mess!
I'll continue adding characters as I get them done from this point on. 
Perhaps one day I'll be done.
Hope you all like it!
Have a great Comic Con if you are planing to attend. 
Don't forget to check out my website:

www.tommytejeda.com

Cheers

Legion Group Shot Sneak Peek

And why not, I almost never show unfinished work. Here is a sneak peek of my secret long lasting project "The Legion of Super Heroes Monstrous Group Shot!"
Legion fans keep in mind this group shot doesn't actually have a continuity timeline. In fact it doesn't make any sense! I was just adding every single character I've drawn that was Legion related all in one mega poster. There are even Wanderers, Heroes of Lallor, dead characters, 60's and contemporary characters. Sorry for the big enchilada mess!
I'll do my best to add a BG and post the whole thing by Comic Con next week!
Even after that I'll continue adding every character that I'll draw in the future. Perhaps in possibly another year it may actually be fully completed.
Since time doesn't actually exist and the linear concept of time was created by humans to orientate themselves, or at least that's what they think. Just a matter of time and I'll be done one day...
Don't forget to visit my website at:
www.tommytejeda.com
Hope you like it so far!
Happy 4th everyone!!! :)

Earth Man

Kirk Niedrigh is a semi-reformed super villain  that was coerced into joining the Legion. 

Created by Cary Bates and Mike Grell, Niedrigh is a former hopeful for the Legion of Super Heroes under the guise of Absorbency Boy. After being rejected from the team, years later he resurfaced as Earth Man leading a group of super villains called the Justice League of Earth, which help to enforce a xenophobic agenda that Earth has adopted. He first appeared in Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes # 218 back in 1976. And re-appeared as Earth Man since 2007. 

Sorry Legion fans it toke a long time to come up with a Legion related post. I've been ridiculously busy with multiple projects. About to launch my own website, building a UFO art car for Burning Man etc etc...

Besides I think I'm running out of characters, at least the main ones.

Hope you like it, cheers!
And have a Happy 4th btw...

Life Lass

Life Lass was created in the 60's by Edmond Hamilton and John Forte. 
Real name Somi Gan. She was born to a couple that had been exposed to the radiation of an atomic accident that destroyed the entire continent of Antillar on their home planet. As a result she was born with the extraordinary ability to animate and control inanimate objects, essentially bringing them to life, taking the name Life Lass. Somi and another super humans joined together to become the Heroes of Lallor. This group often helped the Legion of Superheroes. 
The BG is called Urban Lights and was made by Andreas Rocha. I've changed the colors to separate the character figure a little more from the BG.
Since I'm running out of female characters and the majority I have left in my list are male, I'm willing to start drawing other female characters from the Legion universe that aren't necessary Legionnaires.
I'll be challenging with all the projects I have going on, to find free time and continue with my mission of drawing every Legionnaire. 

TommyTejeda.com

Today my first official website went public.
After a lifetime of creating art, professionally and for fun I finally found some time of my super-busy schedule to make it happen.
Thanks Michael Malota for being a great web designer, I would highly recommend his services.
It feels good to have most of my decent artwork all together in one site.
It's definitely more professional, official and a good way to showcase your artwork.
Of course I'll continue to post some art in here as well.
Hope you like it, enjoy!

http://www.tommytejeda.com

T 

Calorie Queen

Real name Taryn Loy, came from the planet Bismoll, Calorie Queen possesses the same eating abilities as Matter-Eater Lad, as well as super-strenght due to genetic manipulation. 
At one point she got to work with Matter-Eater Lad, putting their teenager issues behind. She was recommended as a replacement by Matter-Eater Lad due to his political career. the LSH declined.
The BG is called Sci Fi and was made by Jsek-d4g0p1f, I've changed it a little. 
Couldn't help mysel by adding Matter-Eater Lad checking her out.
The Legion mission continues...

Avengers: Age of Ultron

And the final color...
Well, there isn't much left to say since I've already commented on the film on my previous Blog post and facebook.
The team made it's debut in The Avengers # 1 on September 1963. 
It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
"And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born." 
Hope you like it and hope you enjoy the film as much as I did.
Cheers

Avengers...assemble!!!

Due to the worldwide success of "Avengers: Age of Ultron", I was inspired to contribute to the excitement with my geeky fan art. 
I rarely post unfinished art on this Blog anymore, so there you have it. Just a clean up for now, I've realized I may not be done with the color version by the time the movie opens officially in the US on May 1st. I couldn't wait to share it, even if it's unfinished.
I've seen the film already and really loved it! I'm very glad Marvel is kicking ass with most things they do.
Eventually I'll be done with the color and I'll re post it. 
Til' then hope you like it!
Peace out!

Wolf Priestess

Wolf Priestess it's the seventh painting for my gallery. Yes it's a woman. 
It was made on a short time notice of ten days for the A-Bun-Dance event on Nov 22nd at the Lure nightclub in Hollywood. Totem animal was the theme, the Hollywood Burner crowd it's my personal favorite! 
As usual I've started with a white canvas digitally. I used some photo elements due to the lack of time such as the blanket, some of the wolf hair on the head-dress over the left of the face, the lips and some fur on the bottom right. They are the only retouched photo elements. The rest was painted from scratch digitally with Photoshop CS5. I used photo reference for the woman's face and hands, yes that means I copied it, but it was still painted from zero. I added and painted the pattern on the blanket and other elements to the piece. I did my best to blend it together digitally and smoothly before it was printed on a canvas. 
After the canvas was printed I've painted live on it with acrylic to add some final details, extra depth, texture and contrast. There is no room for mistakes with acrylic, you can't click Command + Z to undo, there is no undo LOL.
It was challenging explaining all of this to some annoying drunk people at the event who doesn't even know what a Cintiq is and have no clue about art techniques.
Click on the word Cintiq for a link and a better explanation if you still have no clue what that is.
Sure, I can just say mixed media like a lot of artists prefer to say. There is no need for a detail explanation in the art process. Still, I feel compelled to make it clear I'm not just painting over a photo like some folks believe. Maybe 35% it's a painted over a collage photo, not everything. That itself it's a whole new can of worms in the art community. The more traditional and conventional artists are not cool with the idea of painting over some photo elements. All thou to their criteria it's OK to "copy" a photo as long is all done from zero. There is a lot of controversy about this subject, clearly it doesn't bother me. I only think of Photoshop and the digital era as just another "tool". If I didn't know how to paint period I could never have "created" this piece as I did. Art is creation. Whatever tools and technology are available nowadays to create are just tools and I'm on board with the latest. After drawing and painting my whole life since I was a kid, learning techniques, learn how to have a solid drawing foundation, having a successful career in the animation industry etc etc I don't think I need to prove anything to anyone. In fact I'm doing a whole gallery using this digital / acrylic on canvas mix media. Some day I'll finish all my 12 pieces and I'll let you all know. 
Like Robert Downey Jr. said..."listen, simile, agree and then do whatever the fuck you were gonna do anyway."
Hope you like it folks.
Cheers

Playa Dust

My latest painting. Here's where I got so far digitally, I'll be painting what 's left on the printed canvas live at Lure, located at 1439 Ivar Av. Los Angeles CA on Saturday October 25th. The event it's called Deca-Dance Pre-Halloween.
I'm thinking about adding a real bindi to the painting, and with acrylic maybe a little more detail on the body painting, the hair and the rusted BG with sponge. 
The idea of this painting it's that the model it's covering her face with a feather from some Playa dust flowing bye at Burning Man. The background could be a rusted mutant vehicle parked there.
I'm sure I'll texturize it once I'm completely done with it.
Painting 6 of 11 almost done.

Arctic Veil

Originally posted on 2/19/12 at 12:58 AM.
I've started this piece on a canvas 38x46 almost 10 years ago. Left it on pause for a while. I added more detail with acrylic recently, toke a photo of the actual painting, added even more details digitally, printed it again on a canvas when done and finally added some values with acrylic on that new canvas. First time I ever mix a creative process like that. I'm pretty happy with the outcome so far. Sorry for the crappy photo I wish there was a better way to capture that canvas.
I'm still going to add more detail to the arms and veil in the next two days and finish it once and for all, waaay over due...
As usual it was a great pleasure painting live at Grateful Fridays, love and gratitude to that awesome community.
May the force be with you...always

Ying and Yang

Originally posted on 11/29/12 at 7:15 PM.

It seems after both my parents passing this year, all I have been doing it's balancing and harmonizing things in life. It'll take some time to adjust and slowly flow into my new life. Perhaps that's why I have been  seeing the Ying and Yang symbol in my mind and felt compelled to create something like this. I've started digitally then printed on canvas and finally added details with acrylic. This is the digital version only. I don't have any pics of my finished canvas work yet.

Yin and Yang is one of the most fundamental concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as it is the foundation of diagnosis and treatment. The earliest reference to Yin and Yang is in the I Ching (Book of Changes) in approximately in 700 BC. In this work, all phenomena are said to be reduced to Yin-Yang.

Tree Spirit

Originally posted on 5/22/14 at 12:00 AM.
After taking a two year break from painting digitally and on canvas, I've decided to slowly get back into it. It seems overcoming the passing of both my parents was a time consuming process that still goes on. My dad's death second anniversary was a few days ago. During this break period from creating art I had to travel to Argentina many times, that's where my whole family lived, I had to multitask and accomplish many things. In January this year I was told I needed a heart surgery by my physician for my mitral valve prolapse case. I'm still doing echocardiograms and getting other opinions about it. I was also betrayed by my attorney in Argentina who I've trusted after 20 years. She ended up committing fraud and extortion, stealing a whole bunch of money from a family property I've sold last year. I'm still dealing with that too, most definitively I will seek justice in a corrupted bureaucratic third world society. After my mom's passing I've also inherited the responsibility of taking care of her sister in Argentina (my aunt), who had a brain aneurysm, it's been paralyzed and lost her speech since late 2009. She didn't have any children and it's my only family member left alive. Very expensive monthly medical bills out of my pocket. I've also been facing some challenging and difficult times in my recent relationship, like I didn't have enough going on, to the point that I'm single again. On a positive note I've spent at least 11 months drawing and painting my own version of DC comics The  Legion of Super Heroes characters for fun, it seemed to have a good feedback from the Legion fans. Scroll down and click on "older posts" at the bottom of this page to see them all. I got involved on a time consuming unpaid freelance job, a good reminder why I've stopped doing unpaid work a long time ago. I've quit that job recently, I'll share that art at one point.
Having said all of that I hope you'll understand why I had to take a break, I was blocked and overwhelmed on my creative flow by multiple and difficult life situations.

This particular painting was inspired by an experience I had when connecting my third eye to a big tree. With my physical eyes closed and my third eye open I saw the shapes and image of the painting above flying in front of me. I added the leaf hair details, the actual visual experience I had was semi blurry.
I'll be painting this image live on canvas at the ABunDance event on May 31st in Hollywood.
https://www.facebook.com/events/499514100160996/
If you are reading this, you are invited.
I will slowly do my best to start producing more Legion of Super Heroes characters and paintings as well, please be patience with my creative speed, I'm still multitasking difficult life situations. Nevertheless my art will be posted here sooner or later, life and art will go on...always...
Cheers

The Body Tree

Originally posted on 11/12/11 at 7:16 AM.
11/11/11...(read a la Christopher Walken)...WOW!
After an amazing day and a blissful Hindu Hybrid wedding I went to Grateful Fridays and finish my painting :)
It was awesome to actually paint and dance under the rain, ha...it sounds like a cheese 80's song title...paint and dance under the rain...
I'm a so grateful my computer, projector and Cintiq are dry now and they still work fine. And also very grateful for the chance to share my work with you all. I love everyone at Grateful Fridays.
It feels like 11/11/11 went bye too fast. I've been waiting for that magical date for too long, had too much planned and went bye too quick.
I hope whatever meaning that date has for you somewhat lived up to your expectations.
Yes, you are the future and the future it's now...
Cheers for a better humanity living in harmony with nature and the cosmos!!!


Love and Light.

T.

The Body Tree - Pencil

Originally posted on 10/20/11 at 12:39 AM.
Here is a very rough concept for my next live painting. I'm planing to use a lot of green on this one.
I'm also planning to do a series of 11 paintings, print them on canvas and add highlights and shades with acrylic to them.
Of course when-ever the opening for the gallery happens you'll be cordially invited.

Grateful October

Originally posted on 10/8/11 at 5:41 AM.
My tonight's first live painting with a Cintiq at Grateful Fridays @ The Vanguard(en)...
I started around 9 pm and was finished by 1:55 am. Sure, I could keep adding highlights and shadows until Christmas, but I wanted to post my work as it was that night. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to paint live in such a great place full of friends and beautiful Hollywood burner people. Much love to everyone who made that night possible! God bless
Btw click on "Older posts" at the bottom of this page to check out some more of my artwork.
Peace!

Blast Off

Jahr-Drake Ningle (Post-Zero Hour). Blast Off was a member of Leland McCauley's Workforce. 

He and Atom'x of the Uncanny Amazers died in the battle fighting Mordru.
Blast Off was later discovered to live on as a gestalt energy form and joined the Legion as Drake Burroughs aka Wildfire.
I've spent some time on this BG and the fire fx. It was difficult to find reference for this character. Nevertheless, I always enjoy bringing to life classic characters from long ago and doing my contemporary take on them. 
Incidentally, I often go comics shopping at Blastoff, that's the name of a really good comic book store in North Hollywood. Here is the link to the store's Facebook page:        https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blastoff-Comics/225861877482304
Anyhow, have a great weekend.

Khundian Legionnaires

Khund Legion. A short-lived team of champions from the planet Khundia who teamed up with the Legion of Super-Heroes to stop the undead army of Mordru. Flederweb, Bloodclaw, Firefist and Veilmist.

The BG is from www.shutterstock.com, I've changed it a little to work with the characters better. 
Now that Bloodclaw it's done I can complete the classic group shot for these Khund monkeys.

I've been super busy with work so enjoy what's probably some of my Legion art for a while. 

Cheers

Bloodclaw

A super-strong Khundian with indestructible cybernetic claws, Blood Claw was a short-lived member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the Glorithverse. He was killed in action against Mordru's legion of the dead. The original BG it's from www.begann.de  I've touched it up a bit.

Khundian group shot next?

Dragonmage

Dragonmage, real name Xao Jin, is a member of the Legion of Super Heroes in the 30th Century. Born on the New Shanghai Colony, he is a powerful magic-user. His spells are always accompanied by images of dragons. In Reboot Legion continuity, Dragonmage is seen as an applicant for the Legion but is rejected. Dragonmage was created by Tom Biernaumm and Mary Biennium, first appearing in Legion of Super Heroes (Volume 4) #33 in 1992,
The BG was originally made by Adam Kuczek. I've modified and added elements to work better with the character. Check out his DeviantArt page: http://adamkuczek.deviantart.com
To the minority of Legion fans that actually read my posts, thanks for waiting. I've been crazy busy with multiple projects. Hope you like it. 

Bat-Chappie

Really... Chappie.
I don't know what all this attention to DC's nonsensical news today it's all about.
Whaddabadah

Actually looks more like an Apple Seed copycat, Chappie like the recent released film it's more contemporary. The whole bunny ears doesn't work that well with 'Batman", unless they are also planing to change the name to Bunnyman.
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about. Today DC Comics announced the new look for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman starting in June. For the most part everyone hates it.
Yup, so that robotic armor it's what Batman will look like from now on in the comics.
I'm sure everyone at Marvel are laughing hard.
Sups and Wonder Bread are next. 

Seriously...

Hannah Mermaid

From the same Super Hero project that never was...yet, here is Hannah Mermaid. Not only I'm proud to call her a friend, Hannah is a professional underwater mermaid, creating her own functional mermaid tails. She is also a dedicated Ocean activist, she travels the planet performing for charity projects to commercial ventures to bring awareness to the ocean and it's animal life. She has done many movies and shoots swimming in the open ocean with sharks, dolphins, whales, manta rays and more. Check out her website if you wish to hire her talent. http://www.hannahfraser.com/mermaid/
Her powers are all mermaid ancient wisdom and magic. She protects the oceans and sea life on the planet.
I'm so proud of you Hannah, it was great working on your character with you, love ya!

Dove

Here is the one of three pieces from a freelance project that was truly free. Probably a good reminder why I've stopped doing freebies. The project never got an official name, the premises where Captain Planet meets Power Rangers but with a contemporary burner/conscious edge. Originally based on Shawn Barry's idea (https://soundcloud.com/shawn-barry-music)
We had a meeting at a Talent Agency (very formal) with a few friends. It had and still has potential for either a TV show or a live performing show. What it got me exited was the idea of having a TV show where we switch from live action to animation within the same universe back and forth per episode. Of course that would be a very hight budget since animation it's not cheap, and of course whoever would produce this potential show would prefer know experience and stablished actors instead of experienced performers/models/artists. Based on everyone's experience involved on this project it would make more sense to do a live show like Marvel Live   http://www.marveluniverselive.com
The project was put on hold for now. I'm sure whatever free art came out of my excitement could still be used for presentation and pitching purposes in the future. It was a good experience to work with friends outside The Simpsons universe.
For the record I'm not taken orders, doing any commission work or adding any more drawings to my list of things to do. Sorry folks, I'm a busy man, nothing personal.
This character, Dove, was based on Alicia Marie. She is an incredible aerialist who performed with Motley Crue and the Lucent Dossier Experience just to name a few. She helped me co-create the background for this character. Her powers: Flight, can change her size to a faerie and fast speed. She protects the air and skies.
I truly hope this brilliant project gets picked up someday.

Guru Laghima

Guru Laghima was an Air Nomad and renowned poet who lived at the Northern Air Temple around 3,829 BG. It's from the Legend of Korra television series. In Book 3 (season three) a new villain named Zaheer talks about Guru Laghima and his poetry. One of his poems/quotes goes: 
Let go of your earthly tether, 
Enter the void, 
Empty and become wind. 
It is said he discovered the secret to weightlessness, which allowed him to unlock the air bending ability of flight. This essentially allowed Laghima to become untethered from the earth and lived the last forty years of his life without touching the ground.
During his lifetime, Guru Laghima became a renowned poet with writing so influential that it
survived the Hundred Year War. In his honor, a mountaintop near the Northern Air Temple known as Laghima's Peak was named after the Guru. In addition, several caves located two miles from the Northern Air Temple are adorned with statues of Laghima, along with other influential monks. Over time, however, the truth about his achievements was lost and his abilities were dismissed as children's stories and legends. I've based the BG on a background thumbnail from the Legend of Korra Book Two (season two) painted by Josh Middleton.
I went over it and changed it composition wise to match Laghima.
I've never seen this character in the show, that's why I thought it would be cool to make my own design and have fun with it. 
Hope Avatar Korra fans like it.
Peace out.