League of STEAM Vampire Hunt

Last Thursday I shot this video with the League, documenting our exploits as we went on a vampire hunt at the opening night of Twilight: New Moon. Hilarity ensued.

Check it out:

Adventure of the League of STEAM - "Monkey Business"

Check out the premiere episode of the League of STEAM's new web series, shot and edited by yours truly:



Stay tuned for more episodes and information, subscribe to our YouTube Channeland check out The League of STEAM Website

Starting up again...

Hey everyone!

So, I just realized that it's been almost a year since I last posted here. And what a year it's been. In this time, I've directed a short film (and presented it at a few festivals and conventions), completed my BFA and graduated from RISD, moved back to Los Angeles, participated in a TON of events with the League of STEAM, and more.

Since I realized it will help me to keep up with old friends and increase my online presence, I'm going to try once again to start posting regularly. I make no guarantees, but I'm giving it a shot. In the past, my posts have been exclusive to my artwork and usually had lengthy explanations to accompany them. This time around, I'll probably be posting fewer descriptions (if you want to know the stories or processes behind what I'm posting, just ask and I'll elaborate) and I'll also branch off of just posting artwork.

I look forward to getting back in the habit of this!

-Von Fogel

Recent Makeups

Two updates in one day? Unbelievable.

This week I did two makeups for my friend's thesis film. In the world he's creating, most everyone has some kind of scar or injury, so I'll definitely be getting a lot of practice!

The first is a gravedigger character with a scarred face, tired eyes, and dirt stains. The second, a big arm wound (sans blood in this photo) with the rest of the arm discolored as a result of a virus. Both makeups are done with 3rd Degree silicone and Skin Illustrator makeup.

Halloween / Artist Ball 2008

This year for RISD's Artist Ball, my friend Nick and I finally went through with a costume idea we've had for a very long time...

So here we are, as Buzz and Woody from Toy Story!



Kate was Tiger Lily from Peter Pan, which worked out well because then the two of us were a cowboy and an indian.


Here are a couple photos of the Transformers pumpkin that I carved. Autobots on one side, Deceptacons on the other!



Transform, and roll out!

Oh, and once again, please click the little button on the left that says "follow blog" so that you can see when I update!

A Post, Finally

Hey everyone.

I know I don't update this as often as I should, but thanks for bearing with me. I've added the "Follow Blog" feature, so please follow this blog and then you'll know when I actually get around to updating! I've got a few new things to share, so there should be some more posts during the next few weeks.

Anyway, here's some illustrations that I did for "What's Your Story?" with Mary Jane Begin (it's an illustration course focusing on narrative work). Our assignment was to make three images that tell the beginning, middle, and end of a pre-existing text. I chose to use the song "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins, which is a classic cowboy ballad about a gunslinger riding into a town to kill an outlaw. I'd also been wanting to draw reptiles, so... yeah, here it is.

"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day

Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say"

"Texas Red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped
And the Ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip"

"He might have went on living, but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the Ranger with the big iron on his hip"

Stay tuned, folks. More to come soon. I promise.

Snazzy Photos

Yesterday Claire and I went to Vasquez Rocks to take some photos... Here are the results:


Photos by Claire, Photoshopping by myself. Please click on the photos to view them full-size so you can see the detail.




I kept these ones in color, to show my costume and the scenery a little more accurately:



Here's Claire. I took this photo, and she retouched it herself:

Comic Con 2008 - Day 3

Not a whole lot to report from day 3, since it was mostly spent wandering the exhibit hall, picking up free stuff, and buying a ton of comics, books, and t-shirts. I wore my Phenomenauts cadet uniform to help promote the band, and a number of people recognized it and told me they love the Phenomenauts. A couple of people even thought that I was one of the band members!

My dad wore his officers jacket as well...

Marvel had the Iron Monger suit on display...

All in all, a great year at the con!

Comic Con 2008 - Day 2

Saturday was Terminator day for us. Me dressed as the T-1000, and Claire as Sarah Connor in T2. From the moment I got to the convention center, people were stopping me constantly for photos.

In the morning, Claire was saving a spot in the enormous line to get into Hall H, and I was on my way to meet up with her. As soon as I saw her, I broke into a run towards her and chased her all over the line. The hundreds of onlookers waiting in the line cheered for us and applauded when our chase ended with Claire throwing herself down on the ground and shooting me with her machine gun.

We ran into a guy who was dressed as the T-800 from the first movie, and posed for photos with him:

A very nice police officer let us pose for pictures in front of his motorcycle:


Now, the highlight of the day... the Terminator: Salvation panel, which was held in Hall H (the convention center's largest presentation hall, holding 6,500 people). Claire and I lined up at the microphone for the Q and A portion. Instead of describing it in detail, I'll just show you IFC's coverage of the panel on youTube.

Watch the part between about 6:30 and 8:30 to see the part we are in... I also show up around 11:00 when Common answers a question.



It was an incredibly surreal experience... The cast members were all really nice to us, and for the rest of the day people were coming up to us saying, "you were great on the panel" and "you guys were so funny!" Also, since then articles covering the panel have popped up around the internet, and there have been more than a few articles that talk about our appearance at it.

Here's a write-up from Ain't It Cool News, including a great photo of us on the stage.

Also, an article from Entertainment Weekly online, which mentions us at the end.

There are countless others, but those are a couple that stood out as being really great. IMDB also has a great photo of the cast and us at on the stage.

Anyway, it was another fabulous day at the Con...
Sunday report will follow soon.

Comic Con 2008 - Day 1

Friday at Comic Con was wonderful! Even though it was too crowded to get into many of the panels, we had a great time wandering around the exhibit hall, and saying hello to friends.
The jetpack was a big hit. Although a few people were confused and couldn't figure out what character I was supposed to be, the majority of people who approached me recognized it as an original steampunk design, and were very impressed! People liked the fans in particular. I think it was too dark at the ball to see the fans properly, and too bright at the Con to see some of the light functions.

Claire joined me in wearing a steampunk outfit, premiering her new corset that she made in her digital fabric printing class.


The highlight of the day had to be when I stopped by the Weta booth, where they had a number of their ray guns on display. Their newest model is a huge ray-blunderbuss! The people at the booth were very impressed with my outfit, and suggested I pose for some photos with the blunderbuss and its designer, Greg Broadmore!


After posing for the photos, I got the chance to meet Richard Taylor, the head of Weta Workshop, and a great hero of mine! He was incredibly friendly, and told me that the jetpack was "bloody marvelous!" I just about fell over right there.
I spent the evening having dinner and socializing with the League of S.T.E.A.M.... a wonderful end to a wonderful day!
Day 2 report is on its way.