Every Labor Day weekend, Atlanta, GA is overtaken by Dragon*Con, a massive media convention that covers a wide variety of genres: Sci-Fi and Fantasy, science and technology, TV and movies, literature and comic books. And of course, people dressed as Stormtroopers and superheroes.

Deep in the bowels of one of the three downtown hotels that host the convention, is an area known as “Artist’s Alley.” It is here that the booths and tables of all the attending comic book artists are set up, and it is here where I first discovered the works of Andy Lee.

Andy practices a form of Chinese brush painting known as Cha’han Buddhist splash stlye, and for $20*, he will produce a custom painting of pretty much anything you want–a dragon, Batman, a zombie breakdancer, or, perhaps, some sort of cephalopod.

*At least that has been his rate all three times (over the past 5-7 years) I’ve paid him for a commission.

Andy is one of the nicest people you will every meet, and here’s why. A few years ago (I can’t actually remember. Let’s say…three.), I asked Andy to paint an octopus. He painted one in a rather crazy style (posted above), but was worried that I wouldn’t like it. (He shouldn’t have been, it is awesome!) So, he painted another in a more realistic (but every bit as awesome) style (below), but only charged me for one!

Find out more about Andy Lee at, coincidentally, FindAndy.com.