#62 Shadow Strike

Like Tiger Claw, Shadow Strike was a lazy head-to-toe repaint in 2005. Tiger Claw was a repaint of Kamakura; Shadow Strike was a repaint of Storm Shadow (technically a re-use of the Cobra Ninja Trooper, a re-working of the design). Because there were soooo many Storm Shadow figures made before the Shadow Strike repaint, it doesn't really bother me. It's easy enough to just mentally exclude that particular figure as being Storm Shadow.

An underutilized character, Shadow Strike remains unnoticed by most Joe fans. Hasbro might have considered using a repainted Kamakura to make a Joe and using a Storm Shadow repaint to make Tiger Claw. But it didn't.

This artwork is inspired by my customized Shadow Strike figure. It features an unmasked head and darker skin tone, two ways to distinguish it from being Storm Shadow.

you got this one capturing some great depth including that background.

over the years when I get to know some ones customs I have hit the gallery to scroll through their submissions. I started looking through yours again about 2 weeks ago! not only is there a lot of figures, there are a lot of factions, subsets, and really well written info. I noticed an older entry, I think one of your baroness customs, that had your drawing included. it was good, but I can see how much better you've become with your drawings.

I wish there was a filter on the search results of submissions using the "customs" button to switch from listing them ABC to date of submission. kind of a timeline in pictures for us.

_________________

Thanks for the kind words.

My artwork was probably at its technical best in the mid 90's, after I starting using photo reference- to the point of taking boxes and boxes of photos. Advice given to me by Joe Quesada, believe it or not, who was working on The Ray for DC at the time. This was before his popularity exploded and you could just walk up to him at conventions and ask him to look at your portfolio.

Now that I've given up the dream of ever working professionally, I'm much looser with my stuff. I don't worry about if things don't look perfect (did you notice that Shadow Strike's right foot looks like a lump of wet dough?) and push through pieces because doing the art is more important than the piece itself.

Some of the drawing I attach to the figures are quick sketches to work ideas or to use as color guides. But even in these I can find something useful, like how I've started using shadow area "scratch lines" that run one direction on a uniform, but then nonsensically switch directions on a new adjacent surface. It's all about adding new tricks to the trick bag.

I try to have fun with these, and I hope it comes through. Your comments have been much appreciated on this project, and have usually been what has kept me going. Much thanks.

your "loose" is extremely disciplined to a surreal and abstract fella like myself! I admire your art and the techniques you use, but more so the drive to keep making these. every one of them is interesting and when looked at together an amazing show of talent.

_________________