THE HALLOWEEN LEGION is nominated for the Stan Lee's Excelsior Award!

Our HALLOWEEN LEGION™, which has made the shortlist for Stan Lee's Excelsior Awards, is featured on the CBR site!! 
http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/12/stan-lee-excelsior-award-unveils-2014-shortlist/

It is also featured: http://www.excelsioraward.co.uk/shortlist2014.html

Co-creator Martin Powell and I wish to thank everyone who has supported The World's Weirdest Heroes!

The Halloween Legion™ Martin Powell and Diana Leto

A little Christmas illustration from me to you all.

A lil' Christmas illustration I did this year.
Hope it makes you all smile this cold snowy night...

The Halloween Legion at NYCC!

Just finishing up a wonderful 2013 NYCC with a few pics on my blog. 

It was a fantastically exciting and amazing Comic Con this year!

It started with an inspirational panel entitled "Creatively Energizing Your Students With Comic Books And The Arts" with fellow panelists Alex Simmons, Bonnie Erickson, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Louis Mitchell, Mike Lopez, Noel MacNeal, and Paul Castiglia. 

What an incredible bunch of people! It was truly an honor to be on the same panel with them and to be able to speak with the audience about how to engage children in the arts. I spoke a bit about things how The Halloween Legion™ inspires me with its positive messages. My partner on The Halloween Legion, co-owner and writer Martin Powell unfortunately could not attend NYCC but he was there in Halloween spirit. 

I was very grateful to be able to contribute and answer everyones questions. If I did miss you after the panel, please feel free to contact me here.

I was humbled by the moment and will never forget it. 
Here is a photo of us all on the panel.

Here we all are after the panel sharing a few heartfelt laughs. 

The next day was my drawing workshop at the Kids Comic Con Family Room.

Alex Simmons and Mike Lopez created some really great events and it was an honor to be a part of their wonderful curriculum this year at NYCC. 

My good friend, and fellow amazing artist!, Steve Price, helped me out during the drawing workshop and kindly took this cool pic of my session on the NYCC banner. 

For my drawing workshop I showed how to draw your favorite Halloween characters using simple shapes like circles, squares, and rectangles. And just for fun, I created my own Witch's costume for The Halloween Legion occasion!

Here I am with Lauren Marchisotto at NYCC, who had a fantastic steampunk costume on! Thanks to Noel MacNeal for the awesome pic!

It was a great drawing session and some of the kids drew amazing illustrations of Autumn the Cat! If your reading this and you or your kids drew some of the characters please email me, I would love to post them to the Halloween Legion fan page on Facebook! 

On Sunday, I had a signing session at the Dark Horse Comics Booth to sign THE HALLOWEEN LEGION graphic novel. Here a few pics of the signing. It was a lot of fun!

It was a really great event! So many wonderful kids, and adults who are kids at heart, approached me and talked about hoe they really loved the characters! I hope I was able to answer any and all questions everyone had about THE HALLOWEEN LEGION but if not please feel free to contact me or Martin Powell (co-owner and writer) here or on our blogs. We will be happy to answer your questions and continue Halloween through out the year! 

Happy Halloween and see you all next NYCC!

The Halloween Legion™ Martin Powell and Diana Leto

Coffee Girl Pin Up sketch

Although I'm in the middle of a lot of projects right now, I always still find myself sketching!
Here's a little coffee girl pin-up I did just for fun, with a little 50s feel to her. Enjoy!

Tarzan Of The Apes - Logo Design

I recently had the honor of designing the logo for the newest addition to the Edgar Rice Burroughs webcomic series, Tarzan Of The Apes!

It was a lot of fun to play around with textures and subtle jungle shapes. I created a variety of vector logos that could be used for comics and billboards and more!

Specifically below, is a clip of how the logo is being used for new Tarzan Of The Apes  webcomic.

The newest Tarzan strip is written by Roy Thomas, Illustrated by Pablo Marcos, and colored (and I believe lettered) by Oscar Gonzales. It was a lot of fun to work on the logo with them and the Edgar Rice Burroughs family.


Please check out the awesome new strip on the Edgar Rice Burroughs site here!
It's only $1.99/month and when you subscribe you also get to view all the weekly strips including Carson of Venus and The Cave Girl!

New York Comic Con Halloween Legion Drawing Workshop with Graphic Artist Diana Leto!

Woooooooo! My panel is up for NYCC!

Come see me at my drawing Workshop! I will be there celebrating NYCC in full form to discuss my artwork and direction on The Halloween Legion™ Martin Powell & Diana Leto !!

The Halloween Legion On Sale NOW!

Get 'em while their HOT!
There have been many posts on research and development and fun exploratories during the process of this graphic novel and here it is, The Halloween Legion On Sale NOW!

Thank you Martin Powell for all your support and creativity! 
Heroes read comics too!

Artwork © Diana Leto
The Halloween Legion™ Martin Powell and Diana Leto

And the reviews have been stellar! Check out some of these reviews here and order your copy on the last link below!

http://skeletonpete.com/?p=7109

fanboycomics

comiccritique

darkhorse

The Cave Girl at San Diego Comic Con 2013!

So it's been a while since San Diego Comic Con has passed, so I am sorry for the lateness of my post, but it was (in Martin Powell's words) "the very best of times" at the San Diego Comic Con Edgar Rice Burroughs panel! Here is Martin Powell and myself on the panel talking about the THE CAVE GIRL™. The strip premiered that day, which was also the 100th anniversary of the original novel!  It was a centennial celebration! 

Here a pic of all of us on the SDCC "Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Tarzan, Carson of Venus, and the next 100 Years of Adventure!" 
The panel members included myself, Martin Powell, Scott Tracy Griffin, Andy Briggs, Steven E Gordon, Jim Sullos, and special surprise guest Roy Thomas!

Afterwards, we all met at the ERB table with the Burroughs family to sign illustrations and take photos. The Burroughs ladies where amazing and so involved in continuing their great family legacy that they came in Cave Girl outfits! 

It was an amazing time and I already can't wait to go next year!

The Cave Girl is going to San Diego Comic Con!

PHEW!!!!!! And YAY!!!!!! DONE With my San Diego Comic Con art and prepping!

Martin Powell and I will have promo cards, sketch cards, and a painting to raffle off! 
Not to mention debuting the very first Cave Girl strip this coming Friday!
Subscribe here today for only $1.99/month!

Exciting times! Thanks to everyone who is along for the ride!

Just for fun, ...Here's a little In-Progress piece I took a screen shot of. Fun to show the process but also fun to be done! 

San Diego Comic Con: The Cave Girl exclusive painting!

Presenting ERB’s THE CAVE GIRL™ painting I created for San Diego Comic Con. 

In celebration of the all new comic strip’s premiere—and the novel’s centennial—lucky SDCC panel attendees can enter a drawing to win this original painting!

The original artwork will be signed by myself, and also autographed by Jim Sullos (president, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Incorporated), Scott Tracy Griffin (Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration), Andy Briggs (Tarzan: The Savage Lands), Martin Powell (Carson of Venus), Steven E. Gordon at the conclusion of the presentation! See you there!

Join me on the ERB inc Panel at San Diego Comic Con!

http://www.comic-con.org/cci/Friday

Join me at the Edgar Rice Burroughs Panel at San Diego Comic Con! 

Friday, July 19 • 10:00am - 11:00am
Edgar Rice Burroughs: Tarzan, Carson of Venus, and the Next 100 Years of Adventure

JOIN:
Jim Sullos (president, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Incorporated), 
Scott Tracy Griffin (Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration), 
Andy Briggs (Tarzan: The Savage Lands), 
Martin Powell (Carson of Venus), 
Steven E. Gordon (The Eternal Savage), 
Diana Leto (The Cave Girl) 

As they discuss the future of the Burroughs universe online, on the page, and in theaters. Panel attendees can enter a drawing to win signed original art at the panel's conclusion.
Friday July 19, 2013 10:00am - 11:00am
Room 28DE

Wicked Typography Design

Just for fun, I decided to play around and illustrate one of my favorite quotes from the musical Wicked.
Enjoy!

San Diego Comic Con 2013 - Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc Panel: "Tarzan, Carson of Venus, and the Next 100 Years of Adventure"!

I'm very excited to announce that I will be on a panel at SDCC for Edgar Rice Burrroughs Inc.™ this July 2013!!!

I will be announcing the debut of the digital comic strip THE CAVE GIRL, illustrated by myself and written by Martin Powell, which is celebrating it's centennial this July!!!

Here is some concept art I created. It's an in-progress exploration of THE CAVE GIRL style and character.

The panel is "Tarzan, Carson of Venus, and the Next 100 Years of Adventure"! SAVE THE DATE! July 19th (from 10:00 – 11:00) Room 28DE.


Join  Jim Sullos (President, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Incorporated), Scott Tracy Griffin (Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration), Andy Briggs (Tarzan: The Savage Lands), Martin Powell (Carson of Venus), Steven E. Gordon (The Eternal Savage), and myself (The Cave Girl) as they discuss the future of the Burroughs universe online, on the page, and in theaters. Panel attendees can enter a drawing to win signed original art at the panel’s conclusion.

Blast off with CARSON OF VENUS today! June 1st, 2013

I'm very excited to announce my involvement in CARSON OF VENUS ™ ERB, Inc., an all-new full color online weekly comic strip, debuting today!! 

Join myself, illustrator Thomas Floyd, and writer Martin Powell for an interplanetary romantic adventure brought to you by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Incorporated! 

Only $1.99 per month! The all-new TARZAN™ comic strip by Roy Thomas and Tom Grindberg is included -- with more fantastic ERB comic strips on the way -- at no additional cost! Plus, fun free collectible premiums! Don't miss out! SUBSCRIBE TODAY!!

 http://www.edgarriceburroughs.com/comics/

Love Forbidden. Adventure Unending. Terror Eternal.

CARSON OF VENUS ™ ERB, Inc.

20 Minute Sketches- Coffee Music Girl Concept

Here's some concept art of a Coffee/Music girl that I'm adding to my 20-minute sketch category.
I like the concept of notes playing above her head in the subway.  I may evolve the sketch into something more final. :)
Hope you all enjoy!

Star Trek Vs. Star Wars, Sci-Fi Lady Style!

There's been a lot of Star Trek and Star Wars talk lately, especially with the new Star Trek movie out (which is fantastic!).

One day after a in-depth conversation of the Star Trek and watching Carrie Fischer's video where she announced her possible involvement in the new Star Wars movie, I started doodling and came up with this fun cartoon. Thought I would finish up the line work and color and put it up today. Both  Lieutenant Uhura and Princess Leia are such power house independent women. It only seems right that if two characters where to settle the "What's better - Star Trek or Star Wars?" debate, it would be these two ladies.

Jungle- Safari Girl Exploration

My last post had a few quick concept sketches that got a really nice reaction (thanks all!). The Jungle/Safari Girl was in particularly favorited among the bunch so I thought I would continue to work on her. Looking at Frank Frazetta's artwork and some old Tarzan comics while listening to John Carter in the background, I gave my Jungle Girl a little more time and exploration with inked line work and color.
I think I will continue to further this study but for now please enjoy viewing my process!

10 minute pin-up sketches and typography exploration

In between some very important and fun projects. I wanted to take a few minutes and sketch out some possible future concepts. 

Had a few fun conversations with my brother and his girlfriend about She-Ra and thought I would quickly sketch my own fun cartoon pin-up version of her. 

I've been doing a lot of jungle illustration exploration lately and thought I would do a quick pin-up sketch of an adventure safari girl I had in my head.

And last but not least, I did a little typography exploration with one of my most popular themes- Coffee! I had fun playing around with this one and really enjoy the concept... Perhaps one day I will do a more completed version that fine tunes the typography. 

Doodlin' round...

Just doodling around and came up with this plant girl illustration. :)

15-30 Minute sketches- John Cusack in HighFidelity

Following up on my 15-30 minute warm-up sketches of Django Unchained, is John Cusack from High Fidelity.

One of my favorite movies of all time- I dare say, it may make my top 5. :)

15-30 Minute sketches- Django Unchained and Seven Psychopaths

Recently I started doing 15-30 minute sketches to warm me up for a day of good illustrating!
I decided that I would focus on great performances from movies I enjoy.

Here are the sketches from Week One.
Did some roughs of the characters from the movie Django Unchained.
Here's Sam Jackson as Stephen:

Christoph Waltz as Dr. King Schultz

and Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie

I also recently watched Seven Psychopaths, and did a quick sketch Sam Rockwell as Billy.

Cat Coffee!

Just a little illustration I drew over the weekend of Autumn the Cat (from the Halloween Legion). Seems she may have the same love of coffee as I do. :)

This time I played around with vector lines before texturizing it to a more neutral color scheme. Enjoy!

JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN Graphic Novel!

NOW IT CAN BE REVEALED!!

JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN to be published by Sequential Pulp/Dark Horse Comics. Based on the classic anthology by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Written by Martin Powell and illustrated by Daren Bader, Pablo Marcos, Terry Beatty, Will Meugniot, Nik Poliwko, Antonio Romero Olmedo, Mark Wheatley, Diana Leto, Steven E. Gordon, Lowell Isaac, Tom Floyd and Jamie Chase.

Tarzan ™ ERB, Inc.

http://www.thefellowshipofthegeeks.net/2013/02/sequential-pulp-to-publish-edgar-rice.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thefellowshipofthegeeks%2FhTBT+%28The+Fellowship+of+the+Geeks%29

1950's inspired Betty Cooper

Just for fun, I decided to do a Betty Cooper study. I haven't drawn much of the Archie Gang in a while but I have always loved Archie Comics since I was a kid. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead were always there for me as a kid and some of the first inspiration for me to start drawing.

If your a fan of my blog, you will know that I work often with Martin Powell. Recently, Martin asked if I would ever consider drawing a Betty and Veronica for fun. Almost instantaneously little hearts swirled around my head at the thought of revisiting Archie and the gang on my sketch pad. I got out all my old comics, had a few giggles, and started doodling this lil' 1950's inspired Betty. 

Just wanted to send out a little thank you to Martin for the inspirational conversation from me and, none other than, Betty Cooper!

Big Bang Theory Kids' Science Fair

I've become quite the Big Bang Theory fan and decided to it was time to do a fun illustration of the group that has brought me so many laughs.
I started doodling up ideas based on some of the episodes and created a young version of the group at a kids' science fair. I wanted to show the characters performing experiments that show off their personalities in cute and quirky ways.

Sheldon has discovered an alternative energy source using one of Raj's party balloons and a soft kitty- Bazzzzzinga! Amy looks on, documenting the progress for their Soft Kitty/Warm Kitty TransFURmation. 

Howard is in his NASA space uniform onesie but may have gone a little too far when trying to use the fish bowl as a space helmet. I'm sure Bernadette will help him out, although the goldfish seems upset he lost his home to a sippy cup. 

Raj Koothrappali is experimenting in, what else but, Bottle Mixology! Raj gazes upon Bernadette with thoughts of love in his head ( For the big fans out there, like me!, you will know that he's made a song for her called 'Oh, Bernadette, please play by clarinet" but since Raj is younger here the clarinet has been replaced with a recorder). 

And Penny has decided to show Leonard the greatest science experiment of all! All you need for this experiment is graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows and Wala! – SMORES! 

Hope you all had fun at The Big Bang Theory Kids' Science Fair!

Before Jane...Before world fame...In the Jungle he was already a Legend.

Before Jane...Before world fame...In the Jungle he was already a Legend.

Here's a splash page for the upcoming soon-to-be-announced secret project I am a part of!
Artwork © Diana Leto
Tarzan ™ ERB, Inc

For prints of this piece or more of my artwork please go to my store website here or feel free to contact me at diana@dianaleto.com.

Mermaid Watercolor

Bringing in the New Year with a fresh watercolor illustration. Here's to swimming into the first day of the year with hope, imagination, and adventure.

Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.

—Hans Christian Andersen

For prints of this piece or more of my artwork please go to my store website here or feel free to contact me at diana@dianaleto.com.