Space Ace 2024

I seldom, if ever, revisit old work. Like a baby snake, once it's hatched, it needs to live on its own...or not. This one, though, has kept talking to me over the years since it was initially birthed. I was wearing a t-shirt the other evening with the OG piece printed on it, my wife mentioned something along the lines of a revamping. 'Nuf said. Between my nagging feeling, and her nudge, something was bound to happen...or not. It would be far from the first time an inspiration fluttered away untended to, but not this time.

Gotta say...I'M happy with the outcome. Here though, you take a look... 

The original art for this piece was hand drawn and inked by your's truly on something called "illustration board", using a rudimentary mark making tool called a "Kuretake brushpen" way back when, in the pre-pandemic world of 2018. Luckily, scanning technology was present even way back then so I was able to then get it into my computer.  Both versions were colored and manipulated in a combination of Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint. Photoshop is the 800lb gorilla in the room for sure, but CSP does some of the things it does better and more "naturally", to me anyway. Not to leave anyone out, Adobe Illustrator made an appearance to knock out the type work.

Credit for the newly used super cool retro "comic book pulled outta a mildewed, raccoon poo covered box in gramma's attic" look goes to the fine folks at Retro Supply. Their Color Lab suite of "tools", and "papers" for both PS and CSP works magic. I've played around with other company's digi-tools to varying levels of success, I've yet to encounter anything Retro Supply sells that doesn't do it's "trick" better, and more intuitively. They're nice folks and do the customer service thing way better than most too. Give 'em some love next time you're throwing some cash around.

Reckon I've rambled enough. I've put Space Ace 2024 up in my Threadless and Redbubble shops, 'cause I'm a filthy capitalist and food is good. That means "please buy a shirt so we can eat (insert sad emoji here)." Kidding. We'll eat if you buy one, or not...it'll just be the kids. Kidding. I meant We'll eat if you buy one, or not...it'll just be off the kid's menu. Kidding. Who eats that?

Have Fun!