Psylocke & Revanche

Hey guys, here's a recent commission I did on Psylocke and Revanche.  The request was for them standing back to back, posed beautifully.  I tried my best to tie them together with subtle visual cues, but I also wanted them to look and feel like individuals.  The hands, the arms, the legs - all positioned just so there's a hint of call back to one another.  Their feet came out rather small in retrospect but we'll just pretend they are dainty footed.  Enjoy!

90s Realness

I'm very excited that I can finally post this piece that I've been sitting on for a few weeks now.  Not literally, mind you, that would crush it.  This was a commission that I could not pass up.  Finally a piece showcasing only minority mutant characters!  I was excited to say the least.  From left to right we have Oya, aka Idie Okonkwo, the queen herself, Storm aka Ororo Munroe, Frenzy aka Joanna Cargill, and finally M aka Monet St. Croix.  The concept was clear - early 90s runway fashion and nothing else.

We have Oya in Versace Spring 1994 - bold, and colorful.  Broad shouldered fuzzy midrif sweaters and flared skirts.  Socks with heels, anyone else remember that?  Storm had to be rocking short or mohawk style hair which is the first time I've ever portrayed her with that coif.  She is pure Chanel 1992.  Simple sheath dress minimalism of the 90s.  Remember when crew neck cuts were on everything?  The long gloves were a must and the jewelry has very tiny Chanel "C's" if you can see them.  Frenzy had to be in the legendary Versace "Bondage" line so I played around with the straps to come up with something accurate but also my own.  She looks killer and I let her sheer top cut across her chest much like her current costume does.  M is serving you Cindy Crawford, and we went multicultural and ethnic - straight from JPG 1994.

I had so much fun with this piece, letting the 90s really take over.  The heyday of the supermodel, when they could fill out a bust and had at least some meat on their thighs.  Thick eyebrows, heavy eye shadows, lots of neutrals and earthy browns, and when lip liner was visible from space.  Enjoy...

Round 5 coming soon...

Wiccan

Here's a very recent commission I completed of the character Wiccan from Young Avengers.  I knew next to nothing about this character, other than that he had a really cool look.  Kind of reminded me of Hayato of Star Gladiator/Marvel vs. Capcom fame.  I did my research, found out he was a gay character, and fell in love with him even more.  We need more gay comic characters I think :).  He came out looking a bit older and more rugged than I intended, but I'm happy with my take on him.  

Finally an update!  Sorry, been..."busy."  Here's a piece I completed for a show I agreed to be in dedicated to the one and only Kristen Stewart.  It was an odd request but I was really excited (and honored) to be asked to contribute.  The premise was simple: a piece on Kristen Stewart.  It could have any tone or concept I wanted.  I could be admiring and adoring, or cynical and snippy.  I decided for something kooky and spooky, where the meaning could be sort of hazy.  I see Kristen Stewart as this kind of dark, non-Hollywood type of girl who was thrust under the microscope because of a hugely popular tween series.  She's uncomfortable with her fame, and comes off with an attitude or "edge."  I neither see this as a good or bad thing, and wanted a way to convey all this while calling back to the very franchise that has made her seem ungrateful or uninterested.  Hope you enjoy, tell me what you take from the imagery.

Oh!  And the show is on the 5th of April, all information is in the flyer.  The piece is framed and will be on sale there.  If you're in the LA area you should definitely check it out for some weird and fun KStew art.  And tell me how it is.  :)

You ever have one of those pieces that is so hideous, done on well earned materials, that you just have to paint over it?  Yea I got me one of those.  So I stained the hell out of it and slapped a few friends on top of it.  No planing really, just went for it.  It was very liberating to just sort of do whatever I wanted.  If you recognize yourself then congrats to you.  And to me :)

NEW TUMBLR!

Finally got a Tumblr.  I think it might be good for me!

http://kevinwada.tumblr.com/

Can't wait to beef that thing up :)

EDIT:

I decided to start a Tumblr, in addition to my DA and blog because I wanted to be able to monitor and have a bit more of a say over what was getting reblogged on Tumblr.  I think it's a great method for sharing work, love the aesthetic, and it's perfect for illustrators.  That said, if you want the real meat and story behind each piece, I'd keep up with my blog here.  I will post little treasures here and there and share the love at each website.  If you hate following people on multiple formats, park it here.  Word.