Category: Artwork

An Artist with a Vision

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

I recently came across the work of a fantastic artist/illustrator.  Her name is Candice Joy Wright and her medium(s) of choice are; charcoal & graphite, paint and pastels.  She enjoys doing people, flowers and animals, often with a very dark personality.

About Candice (used with permission from her website) :

Having an appreciation for art at an early age, I started to take private art lessons.  My most loved medium to work with is soft pastels.  Using pastels and blending them with my fingers adds softness, and puts a piece of me in all my pictures.  Being versatile with my subject matter, I like to work from life, my own photography, other reference photos, and my imagination.   My favorite subjects are self portraits, portraits of other people and animals.

Some artwork I love to create displays a mood and brings out different emotions.  A painting can open people’s minds to new experiences and ideas which allows them to see things that they would not normally see.  Creating art is both relaxing and pleasurable for me.  It allows to me visualize images and ideas and then put them on paper.  Producing art work that I genuinely love allows me to continue to amaze myself each time I stand at my easel.


When I asked Candice to give a name for her art, she replied, “I have no idea really…disasterpieces, but that would be stealing from Slipknot…but they aren’t really disasters.”


You can check out Candice’s website and work by clicking here.

Night School Knife/Book Set – Now Available!

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

That’s right.  After months of throwing around design ideas and building the hand-crafted knife, JD Borden of JDB Knives and I announce the release of the Night School Knife/Book Set.  It is now available for ordering!

A photo of the knife/book set and details on the knife are as follows:

 

 

It’s a Bowie/martial style with brass bolster and a sculpted subhilt walnut handle. 

Overall Length: nearly  10″  Blade Length: About 5 3/4″  Blade Width: 1 1/4″  Blade Thickness: just over 3/16″  Handle Length: 4 3/8″  Handle Width: just under 1 1/2″  Handle Thickness: just over 3/4″  Finger Guard: just under 2 3/4″.  Hidden tang. 

Price: $229.99.  Includes Knife, Stand, Matching Numbered and Autographed copy of Night School, Plus FREE shipping!  Include any Custom Inscriptions With the Order.  Since Each Knife is produced in the order in which the request is received, Serial Numbers are on a first come first served bases.

If you want to read more about the design and actual making of the knife, visit the Build-A-Long on the JDB Knives’ message board or if you want to read more about the knife/book set or order it, click HERE.  Remember, all knives are hand-crafted, limited-edition and serial numbered.  So, your knife isn’t made until you order it.  As, this is a limited-edition arrangement between JD and myself, they will only be made for a limited time.  So, if you’re interested, order soon!

Night School (Knife) Project – Part II, the newspaper interview & an annoucement

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

If you have been following, The Beginning and Part I of the Night School Knife Project, click here for the next few steps, which are posted on the JDB Knives message board.

If you are interested in checking out the interview I did with the Piqua Daily Call that I mentioned, you can visit the paper’s website to read the article.

In addition, I wanted to make the annoucement that I have begun my next project. 

As many of you know, right before Night School was accepted for publication, I was 20,000 words into a new manuscript.  Though, once I knew Night School was going to be published, I put the ‘novel-in-progress’ on hold to concentrate on promotion and marketing activities. 

Now that Night School is off to a running start, I can finally begin working on something else.  Well, ‘begin working’ might not be entirely accurate. 

What I decided to do this time around, instead of continuing with a novel, I am going to do a ‘short story collection.’  This collection will be about 200 pages long (about 50,000 words) and will include three previously published stories, as well as, nine or ten new and original ones.  Of these stories that are new and have not been published before, I only have two or three to write, before reaching my page count goal.

As of last week, I received word from my publisher, that whenever I would like to send in the manuscript, they will be ready to review it.

I suspect I should be able to accomplish this in the next month.  Which would mean a mid to late 2009 release date on the book.  As always, I’ll keep you posted.

Enjoy!

Night School (Knife) Project, Part I

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

I mentioned here about JD Boren of JDB Knives and myself collaborating on a ‘Night School Knife.’  Well, JD has started a ‘build-a-long’ on his message board where you can follow along (and ask questions/comments) during the design and actual crafting of the knife itself.  So, if you are interested in knives, my book or just like to see some great artwork, check it out.  Oh, and while you’re there, buy another one of his hand-made custom knives – I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Oh, is anyone else excited about the new Friday the 13th movie coming out today?!  Sweeet!

Night School (Knife) Project, The Beginning

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

I first mentioned here about throwing around some ideas with JD Boren, owner of JDB Knives, about the possibility of him designing and making a custom knife to bring out the essence of what Night School is all about. 

Well (drum roll, please)…

Both JD and I are excited to officially annouce our collaboration of him making a limited edition, number run of the Night School knife.  You can read more about the accouncement via his site by clicking here.  JD is a great guy and I am truly honored to be working with him on this project.

Once the promotional knife has been completed, I will make sure to post a picture of it here, the price of the knife and how to go about ordering it!  OR…if you already like what you see on his site and want to reserve one now, Contact me and let me know.  Because, remember, there won’t be many of these made and should truly become a collector’s item (that just so happens to be bad ass looking)!

In My Own Words : An Excerpt of Night School

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

Today, I read a 12 minute excerpt of Night School on the Authors Read program on Blog Talk Radio.  If you missed the show and would like to hear the excerpt, click here to visit the archives of the Authors Read site where it is located. 

The reading has also been posted on Hellnotes.

In other news…

I found out the prices today for the Night School t-shirts.  The retail price for the white is $21.05 and the black will be $30.05.  As previously noted, you will be able to buy them in approx 2-weeks at Devious Designz.  Once they are up on the site, I will let you know.

Click here to get a description of what’s on the back of the shirt.

Night School T-Shirts

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

I mentioned here about having t-shirts made for my novel, Night School. 

Well, I am happy to announce that I have partnered with Tanya Gadsby, owner of Devious Designz, to bring this concept to life.

We have decided on the design idea (the shirt will come in both black and white) and now it’s currently being put together. 

To give you an idea of what the shirt will look like, see below.

Front

Will feature the stack of books and knife from the front cover of the book in the top left-hand corner (looking down at yourself).

Back

Across the shoulder blades will be ‘Night School’ just as it looks on the front of the book, followed by my name, the synopsis and then this website address.

Once I know when the shirt is available for purchase (should only be a week or so) and the price, I will let you know.  In the meantime, head on over to the Devious Designz website and buy something unique and devious.

Free Bookmarks (sorta)

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

How would you like some FREE bookmarks of Night School?  (pictured below)

All you have to do is Contact me and let me know your name and address.  I will then mail you 5 bookmarks.  In the subject line of your email, please insert ‘Free Bookmarks.’

There is one catch…

When you receive them, you keep one of them but have to distribute the other 4 to help me promote Night School.  This can be done by placing them in similar books you get from the library, slip them in a book at the bookstore, mail with your monthly bills, etc.

If interested, let me know, as this is a limited time offer.  Also, if you would like me to mail you some flyers to distribute around where you live, let me know that in your email, as well.

As a side note, if you already have a copy of the book and would like me to sign it, click here to find out how to go about it.

If you still need to buy a copy of Night School, click here.

New Website Banner

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

As you may have noticed, there has been a big change at the top of the website. 

Previously, I just had my name in orange lettering at the top of the page.  As you may remember, I have been working with Jaime Ortiz of Trippy Tease Productions to come up with a suitable banner.  After throwing around many ideas and alot of painstaking work, Jaime came up with what you now see above as the new banner.  I think it’s pretty cool and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Artwork for Book and Website

Posted on by Ty Schwamberger

One of the things I pondered when writing Night School, was what the cover of the book was going to look like if it went to print.  Since starting this website a little over a week ago, it has also been on my mind about what sort of graphic/art I would put at the top of the home page.

One week ago, I began working with Jaime Ortiz of Trippy Tease Productions, on ideas for the cover of the book and graphic that would go at the top of this page.

As of yesterday, Jaime completed the artwork for the cover of the book (which will be sent to the publisher, today) and will begin shortly working on the graphic for the top of the page.   I can’t share this coverwork with you, until it has been approved by the publisher, as they have final say on the cover of the book.

Although, if you have any ideas, thoughts, comments, about what should be at the top of this page, leave them below now or forever hold your peace!