The New Yorker's Eustace Tilley Contest

The New Yorker is hosting a contest on a new interpretation of their favorite cover boy, Eustace Tilley (on top). I would have liked to do more, but these were all time would allow. Here is the link for all of you who want to view the entries. Some of them are not showing up unless you are signed in. No one knows why it isn't working properly.

Land HO!

Jared and I just returned from a two week cruise to the Caribbean. Needless to say it was chock full of specimens begging to put down on paper. Oddly enough after looking at the drawings of all the people sleeping in deck chairs they resemble bodies in a funeral home.

The Little Match Girl 2

Here are some more images I created for The Little Match Girl theme.

There is the original sketch I did where she was kneeling in the snow as well as two very rough images of her dead. I wanted her to have died with a smile on her face looking peaceful and happy like a beautiful little girl who just fell asleep.

Lastly is a more refined version of the image I had painted last time. I have to get back to some other work so I have to leave the color image where it is for now. Who knows if I will go back to it when I have more time? I think I worked her enough but I would like to finish the box and the matches.

The Little Match Girl

This month's Gum or Mints assignment was the Little Match Girl.

I have always liked this story although it is grim. The concept of her getting lost in the hallucination is what attracted me first with this assignment and subsequently the light from the matches which help to take her there. I felt the need to work in color for this to feel the light best and did a watercolor rough of the first image I drew out. I really was going for an awestruck expression as well. I wanted her to look completely happy and not to care about all that was bad in her life. I have done some changes to the drawing and will probably give it another try in watercolor. I have also done some of her dead the next morning that I have to scan and will post them once I do.

The Zoo

Illustration Friday this week tackles The Zoo.

I have drawn out a menagerie of the animals I would have in MY Zoo. Oh sure....anyone can have a Lion or an Elephant, but how many have a Short Snouted Shuffalo? Hmmmmm?




I rarely show my roughs and I have no idea why. Looking at them they have a certain charm and seeing the way the Shuffalo turned out it is easy to imagine how the others will look. John Quinn recently said in a comment to someone else that seeing the development is interesting and exciting so.......I hope these have some excitement or interest!

Two of them don't have names yet but certainly have a story. This has been a fun topic.

Very Superstitious......

The topic of Illustration Friday this week is Superstition.

In some cultures a lone magpie is a sign of bad luck. In others a bird inside a house is bad luck. I just combined the two for a double whammy!

Nina Simone

American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist, not to mention genius. Although she disliked being categorized, Simone is generally classified as a jazz musician and was known as the High Priestess of Soul.

She sang fierce renditions of " I Put a Spell on You", "My Baby Just Cares for Me" and "Feeling Good" with just as much emotion and gusto as when she approached the subject of Civil Rights. Hundreds of recordings exist but her live recordings are legendary.

Often known for being difficult (a charge she took umbrage with) she once shot and wounded her neighbour's son with a pneumatic pistol after his laughing disturbed her concentration.

No one sang the way this woman did.

Does Anyone Still Wear a Hat?

For Illustration Friday.

Charlie in his Bowler...

Lady Sings "The Blues"

This one was obvious for me when I read the topic on Illustration Friday.

Waitress

The theme for September's Gum or Mints was waitress. Please check out the other entries of some of the most talented people I know.

"This is Julia Child, Bon Appétit!"

The wonderful and enormous (she was 6' 2"!) Julia Child.

Jared and I have been watching " The French Chef" on DVD and marveling at the things that Julia was teaching America in the early 60's. It is fascinating to think how little America knew about certain dishes we take completely for granted. Her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is still a steady seller after all of these years.

There would be no Food Network without Julia and she helped to establish a need for stores like Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table. She taught us how to make a Salad Nicoise and the right way to cut a potato all the while in her sing song warble that we have all tried to imitate. If you get a chance to watch the old episodes they are a real treat!

Just a pig on a unicycle.....

Girlfriends got some pipes!

Done quickly in my sketchbook.

Happy Birthday Jared!!

Today is my partner Jared's Birthday.

We have an Easter Bunny and a Tooth Fairy and of course there is Santa Claus, but there is no one to celebrate birthdays specifically and bring us cheer on our special day. I thought I would rectify that and I created Phil the Birthday Platypus just for Jared.

Cafe and Faculty Meetings

OK....these cafe drawings are being posted by request. Two of them I am not so sure about. The drawings from the faculty meetings are just an added bonus.

Edmond redux

Ok, So I am never satisfied...so what ?

While developing my frog book I just felt that something wasn't right with my previous design. He looked too old, too clunky. I wanted a character that was more approachable, maybe a little more energy, sweeter in the face. I tried my hand at it and I think this Edmond is a much better design and certainly a lot more user friendly. There is a vitality that the other design lacked...I immediately wanted to draw this character in different situations.

I also removed the dark brown line that I find too harsh for what I am trying to capture here. I often wonder if I use it too much and don't trust my ability to paint an image without the dependency of line.

Anyway, feel free to share your thoughts, comments or suggestions.

Visitors

For Illustration Friday.....

Sorry folks,been a busy week, so no time for color or even a bit of ink. Maybe before the week is out, but I wanted to at least post the drawing.

Little Princess?

To counter our little pirate captain I had to do a drawing of a little princess. In Walt Disney World they are EVERYWHERE! All shapes, all sizes and the franchise does not seem to be softening! So here is my chubby little princess....

Please help me out if you can...pink or blue?

Captain

For Illustration Friday.....After spending a week in Walt Disney World and seeing all the little Captain Jack Sparrows scurrying around, I wondered why no one was dressed as that OTHER Captain....I think he is much cooler!

I also tried a color version....

First Day of Issue Signing and Ceremony

Here are some snaps from this years first day of issue Art of Disney stamp series. The ceremony is always fun and it is intimidating to see your work towering over you! Why Disney chose to do the release in August is beyond me since it was INCREDIBLY hot, but it all went smoothly and once I was sitting and signing (five hours this year!) it was OK.

I was blessed and thrilled to have my parents with me and my wonderful partner Jared. Jared and I are both in seersucker in that picture, but I am sure he is much cooler than I am!

The gentlemen with me in the signing photo are my Art directors from the USPS and from Disney. My AD from the USPS has told me that the stamps are all in the top ten best selling stamps of all time now and who knows.....there may be more to come!?