IF: Fail

This weeks Illustration Friday topic was "Fail". This poor little squid failed to notice he had gotten to close to the shoreline while rolling and playing in the tides. Those pesky old seagulls were up to no good again and snatched him up out of the oceans edge. Now they all gawk and flutter about staring at the poor little fellow with their beady little eyes.

Medium:pen & ink / digital color

Illustrator of the Week!

Wooohoo! I just logged in to childrensillustrators.com to update my portfolio and to my surprise I am the illustrator of the week this week! Not sure if that really means much yet... maybe if I get some work out of it? :)... seriously, that would be nice. Anyways just thought I would share. Have a great weekend!

IF: Save - Vinnie Volcano: Quirkles Science Experiments For Kids

This is for the Illustration Friday "Save" topic. These are a couple spreads from the "Vinnie Volcano" book that is a part of The Quirkles series. In these spreads Vinnie Volcano finds and saves his friends Victor Vet, Valerie Rabbit, and Venessa Squirrel from the hot violent lava pit.

The Quirkles books are an educational series that offer a fresh new way to integrate literacy and science at school or at home. Each book is full of vocabulary builders, character education lessons, and two related science experiments that allow for hands on activities, helping to reinforce the topics that were just read. The series was created by teachers, and each story teaches/reinforces the phonetic sounds that serve as the building blocks for reading, while also making science--earth, physical, and life--fun to learn. >> Quirkles science experiments for kids

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

Monday Artday: Pirates

Here's my robot-PIRATE for the Monday Artday theme this week. Looks like the poor little fella has been in one too many a pirate plunders and got a few of the lights knocked out in his teeth. This was a very quick illo this week, scanned him straight from the sketchbook. Getting ready to leave town for a few days and I'm not sure if I'll get around to doing a polished one before Monday, so here it is.

Medium: pencil / digital color

IF: Pet Peeves

Finally got around to finish the Illustration Friday "Pet Peeves". Mine is unexpected "spot showers". So annoying when one big ogre cloud rolls over the hill and just dumps on you on a perfectly beautiful day otherwise. Then it gets all nasty and humid once it's passed.

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

Prints: signed and numbered (16x20 and 8x10) available through RAWTOASTDESIGN.

Monday Artday: (american) THIRST

I just joined the Monday Artday group and this weeks theme was "thirst" I seem to be gravitating towards using these floating heads with hats lately. Went with the good ol' trusty beer helmet and since it had American undertones I went ahead and supersized it by adding a couple more can holsters. Anyways, this was the final piece and my take on the topic.

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

MY PROCESS:



Thought I'd give everyone a look at how I create an illustration in case any of you were interested.

1. I begin by scanning in my pen & ink drawing and cleaning it up in Photoshop.
2. I then build up a gray scale version, blocking out the different areas for color.
3. The gray scale file is then converted to color and I begin to establish my palette.
4. Shadows and highlights are added.
5. Shadows and highlights are tweaked and slightly adjusted. Some spot textures are introduced... and that's it, done! Enjoy






Prints: signed and numbered (16x20 and 8x10) available through RAWTOASTDESIGN.

This print is also available through Etsy.

IF: Heavy {2}

My illo for the Illustration Friday topic: Heavy. Pretty literal interpretation, but hinting at the shortsightedness of many humans regard toward nature and their role within it too. Apparently the big guy smashed the little fish's home and he's not too happy about it.

Introducing some textures in the work as well. As always I really appreciate your comments and your input is always valued!

Medium: pen & ink / digital

Prints: signed and numbered (16x20 and 8x10) available through RAWTOASTDESIGN.

This print is also available through Etsy.

IF: Heavy - Density Dan: Quirkles Science Experiments For Kids

This is for the Illustration Friday "Heavy" topic. Its a spread from the "Density Dan" book that is a part of The Quirkles series. Density Dan explained to Dipsy Dog and Danny Duck that salt water is denser (heavier) than fresh water, which makes it easier to float. Dipsy Dog was lighter than the salt water. When something is lighter than the water, it will float and not sink.

The Quirkles books are an educational series that offer a fresh new way to integrate literacy and science at school or at home. Each book is full of vocabulary builders, character education lessons, and two related science experiments that allow for hands on activities, helping to reinforce the topics that were just read. The series was created by teachers, and each story teaches/reinforces the phonetic sounds that serve as the building blocks for reading, while also making science--earth, physical, and life--fun to learn. >> Quirkles science experiments for kids

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

Bonnaroo: 2008 Contest Entry

I only ended up having time to create one submission for this years contest. For anyone not familiar with this, the Bonnaroo Music Festival is a four-day, multi-stage camping festival held on a beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee every June. The guidelines for the artwork are just that it must have some tie to the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The winners are being picked this year by an online voting process. I would really appreciate it if you would vote for me if you like the work. Here's the {link} to the artwork on the Bonnaroo website. All you then need to do is create a user name and password by clicking "JOIN" in the upper right corner. Once you've joined go to my illustration and click on one of the five stars (hope you click the 5th :) below my illustration. Feel free to leave any comments as well... they're always appreciated!

Medium: pencil / digital color

Prints: signed and numbered (16x20 and 8x10) available through RAWTOASTDESIGN.

A print of the original keyart is also available through Etsy.

Bonnaroo: 2008

I'm working on some artwork for the 2008 Bonnaroo Design contest right now and came across this animation by Bill Plympton. Really beautiful and loose old schoolhouse rock style. Just thought I'd share... I'll post my finished entries once they're done.

IF: Garden

This is for the Illustration Friday "Garden" topic. Funny how a word can transport you back in time when you really start thinking about it. My mom used to let me grow potato plants in jars on our window sills as a kid (bless her, cause they start to stink after awhile). They grow pretty quickly so I used to get really excited to look at them each day when I got home from school to see the progress. Then at night my mind would wander beyond the science of things and imagine the little people that showed up during the day to water the vines while I was away at school.

So this is the illustration I came up with after that thought... I welcome your feedback. Thanks!

Medium: pencil / digital color

Prints: signed and numbered (16x20 and 8x10) available through RAWTOASTDESIGN.

This print is also available through Etsy.

IF: Leap - Yawning Yolanda: Quirkles Science Experiments For Kids

This is for the Illustration Friday "Leap" topic. Its a spread from the "Yawning Yolanda" book that is a part of The Quirkles series. Yawning Yolanda gets her friends Yancy Yak, Mrs. Yoogle, and Yilda Yorkie to go to the park and jump up and down to help them get rid of their yawns by exercising. 

The Quirkles books are an educational series that offer a fresh new way to integrate literacy and science at school or at home. Each book is full of vocabulary builders, character education lessons, and two related science experiments that allow for hands on activities, helping to reinforce the topics that were just read. The series was created by teachers, and each story teaches/reinforces the phonetic sounds that serve as the building blocks for reading, while also making science--earth, physical, and life--fun to learn. >> Quirkles science experiments for kids



Medium: pen & ink / digital color

Snowboard illustrations

These were my three submissions for the Salomon snowboard artwork contest. Hope they like one...

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

IF: Multiple

This one is for an older IF topic: Multiple. I missed a few and am trying to get caught up. I cropped an illustration that I just finished the other day that I thought fit the category. Going to try and really start committing to Illustration Friday, been busy with many other things... fingers crossed.

Medium: pen & ink / digital color

Grayson Sanders Band Poster

Had the privilege of working with Grayson Sanders Band and doing a poster for one of their recent shows at the Bitter End in NYC. These guys (and girls) put on an amazing live show. Really fresh new sound and electrifying performance. Grayson's soaring vocals and the groups neurotic stage presence (at times) is beautifully balanced during the latter part of the set by three lovely ladies on classical strings accompanying the band. Great show and fun guys to work with.

Medium: pen & ink / digital color