Illustration Friday

“My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.”
– Dave Barry

The Cupcake
When I was eight or nine years old, my parents loaded up our '66 T-Bird and headed out for what was to be one of the most amazing trips I would ever take. Some day, I need to sit down with my mother and my sister and write it all down before all of it is lost forever.

To make a very long story short, we took a three week trip across country. The year was 1968 or 69. We left Florida in June and headed west with stops in assorted campgrounds along the way. No, we didn't rough it, we were pulling a 13 foot Shasta camper and we had our faithful dog Peanuts to keep us company and entertain us. We made all the great spots along I-10 and just over 30 years later I find out my wife made almost the identical trip the same year. We were only a few weeks apart as we visited such places as the El Paso with a lttle juant into Mexico. At the time it cost 2¢ to leave the US but 3¢ to return from Mexico. We also visited the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Carlsbad Caverns, Disney Land and the Hoover Dam to name just a few of the spots.

Now, we didn't make the exact same trip. We stopped in Cheyenne, Wyoming to visit my mother's oldest brother and his family. It was the first time I can remember meeting them although I know I met my Uncle Ray and Aunt Jean years before at a family reunion. The "Cupcake Story" actually comes a fews years later when I next saw my cousins. My Uncle Ray had two daughters, Janet and Cindy. Janet is the older sister and had a prothestic leg from the knee down. And for her sixteenth birthday, her younger sister Cindy, decided to play a practical joke on her. She made her an chocolate cupcake laced with Exlax so all night long she heard her sister hopping down the hall to the bathroom. Now it sounds a bit cruel, but siblings will do such things to one another. So that is my cup cake story.

On a side note. My cousin Janet's first husband died in a freak accident not long after the birth of their third child. And just like most young couples, they weren't prepaed for such a loss. The taxes from the estate were mounting and Janet just couldn't keep up. But the IRS can be harsh and demanding, so she turn to her congressman, Dick Cheney for help. He worked with her on her case but before everything was cleared up, in frustration, she removed her leg and wrote her "check" out for the amount owed and sent it to Uncle Sam. Both she and the future VP got a lot of press out of it and Janet actually recieved the "cancelled check" and wore it proudly for many years afterward.

I'm off for vacation now. I won't be back until next week. Be procductive and have fun.

An Anonymous Plea

You know those little signs you see stuck on the side of the road? Most of them are pretty self-serving – slumlords looking to "help you stave off foreclosure" or "Make $5000 a Week from Home".

This one was probably the most selfless signs I have ever seen. It was posted in a place where "homeless" people generally stand and ask for money because they have cancer, or lost their job or met some other wild tale. Now, I'm not a cold-hearted person. I have been known to take some of those unfortunate souls to dinner on occasion or to just listen to their story. This, however, was something special. It was at the bottom of the off-ramp from I-95 near my house. Every time I came home I said a prayer. How could I not?

A few weeks ago, my wife asked me to take a picture of it so she could send it out and add to the prayers for David. Yesterday, I finally made the time to do it and when I got to the spot, I found this simple sign torn into pieces and left on the side of the road.

Someone is going to have some bad mojo for that.

If you are the praying type, please offer one up for David and all the Davids out there. And for the special someone who has so much love that she would ask strangers to pray for her loved one.

Illustration Friday - Sorry

I started out with a new illustration but I ended up thinking about the death of my father and the words just started flowing. And I thought about the last time I saw my father alive. I was young, but not as young as the self-portrait I did almost thirty years ago. But it seemed to fit because I drew that when I was seventeen after having one of those run-ins seventeen-year-old boys inevitably have with their fathers. And how does this all tie in to this week's Illustration Friday topic? I'm just sorry I didn't appreciate him more when he was here.

Graveside…the photo

Some of you wanted to know just what that photo was in last weeks Illustration Friday collage so I figured I would share it with you. Please don't ask me the details, I have no idea where it came from. I have quite an extensive collection of vintage photos.

Illustration Friday - Angels and Devils

So, I made it back… barely. I'm glad all of you have been able to keep up with it. While I haven't had the time to get pencil to the paper as often as I would have liked, I did manage a quick look at a few of my friend's work. Fantastic as usual. You should visit Illustration Friday and see for yourself.

This is a quick pencil sketch that I scanned in and used it as the main subject of a Photoshop collage… much fun was had…

Thanks for stopping by…

Illustration Friday - Under The Sea

My illustrations are from the award winning Reef Set series by Ned DeLoach and Paul Humann. They are just a few of the books that I have had the pleasure to work on with these two incredible underwater photographers. You should buy their books if you are into anything under the sea. Since the late 1980's I have drawn about 80% of all the species that are found on reefs from Alaska to the Galapagos and from Florida to Brazil. These drawings are more for reference and ID so are not specifically anatomically correct. If you want to see the good stuff, my super friend, Frank Hilzerman has a great illustration of a Dragonet up.

I will be doing something more for Illustration Friday in the next day or so, so please do check back.

Illustration Friday - Robot

Watercolor and colored pencil and a little color help from Photoshop.

Hello to everyone who is still there with me. Thanks for hangin in there. I picked up some kind of nasty bug and was in bed for almost a week. And then had to play catch up. Hope everyone had a great Easter. Or just a little rest.

Illustration Friday - Spring

When the weather warms up, people head to the beach… even the elves! At least I think he's an elf.

The original English word for the season Spring was 'lent' and this was replaced by Spring only in the 16th century, based on the notion of something beginning or rising, like water 'springs' from the ground.

The Spanish word primavera literally means 'Spring' and first referred to a tree native to Mexico and Central America, so called for its early flowering. The word ultimately derives from Latin primus 'first' and ver 'Spring'. The Italian culinary term primavera is short for alla primavera 'in the style of springtime', which denotes anything served with a mix of fresh Spring vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peas, peppers, or zucchini.

Illustration Friday-MONSTER

This is a quick watercolor and colored pencil illustration. I wish I had more time as it was a very quick sketch. As I began to work on it, more and more ideas kept coming to me. Maybe one day, I'll find the time to finish this one.

It was fun.

Illustration Friday - Feet

OK, so they are probably more eyes than feet, but I really started because of the feet and got carried away. And then I couldn't help myself. They got hold of me and wouldn't let go.

Illustration Friday - Tattoo

The Start of Something Big
colored pencil 2006

Wow…what a tough topic this week. It really made me think. And made me work. I guess that's what it is all about.

Another Insect

So, I took a look through some of my old paintings and found this one from 1991. It is called More Than A Mouthful. I guess Hooters is good for something after all.

Illustration Friday – Insect

The Mole Cricket
watercolor 2006

I hear them watching me and I crush them with the news of the world with a force that shakes me to the innermost workings of my life. The teacher has more power than those with their fingers on “the button” but no one seems to care. Each is caught up with their own misguided beliefs that they are the most important thing in the world. It is frustrating to be human. But what else is there?

The words are something that I had written in a sketchbook from a long time ago. I'm not certain that it works with this illustration. I'll leave that to you. I did manage to spend a few hours today and knock this painting out. It feels good to have a brush in my hand again.

What If?

I am certain you have been asked the question, "If you knew you would die tomorrow, what would you do?" And when you were asked that question, your mind started racing and you became pretty creative with your life. You might take a trip. Or talk to that family member or friend that has been out of touch for too long. You would definitely look at EVERYTHING differently because you would want to remember every little detail. And when you woke up on the morning of your last day, you would be happy to be alive, even for a few hours more.

It's a hypothetical question, but it is one that we should all ask ourselves because it could be true. By asking yourself this one simple, albeit scary, question, you can start yourself down a path towards a much more fulfilling life.

Illustration Friday - Song

Illustration Friday – Simple

It's me again. I have finally been able to get back at it and it wasn't simple, even though the illustration is a bit on the simple side. I have heard that we should keep our lives simple to maintain happiness.

I wonder why it is that when we wonder we tend to look up?

Parents

I was talking to my oldest girls recently and she told me that being a teen was the hardest thing she has ever had to do. I quickly responded that being a parent was the hardest thing I had to do and quickly added that it was all worth it. It got me to thinking about my own parents and what I learned from them.

My father taught me that I could do anything I wanted.
My mother taught me that I should.

Illustration Friday – Cats

In the grasp, but the joke’s on him.
It's how I want it.
It is the way of our kind.
Let them think THEY are in control.
That purring is not the song of contenment,
But a silent snicker
That even I cannot control.

I do admire his whiskers so.
≈

This is the first watercolor I ever attempted. I do hate publishing illustrations at hand, but I recently got swamped at work and it’s all I can do to keep up with what I have going. I have plans for quite a number of cats painting in the near future. When they are finished, I shall post them here.

Ellustration Friday

E is for Ernie

This is a mascot I created for one of my clients. As you can see from his name, he is an enzyme. Unfortunately, Ernie is no longer with us. Before he went, he got deposed. Silly lawyers! The company he worked for got caught up in some legal wranglings and had to go away – Ernie went along for the ride!

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Illustration Friday – Sea

I have been doing reference drawings of fish since 1988 for New World Publications. I have drawn almost every species of reef fish from Brazil to Florida and the Galapagos to Alaska. So when I get the chance to do something fun, I jump at the chance.

The sea is a wonderous place. And we take it for granted. And we take…and take…and take…

We know so little about it, but what we do know should have us all taking heed and treating it with respect. We owe our lives to the ocean. It provides us food and water and the very air we breath.

It is a wonder.

I wonder why we don't get it?

If you want to do something, check out REEF. It is a non-profit that is committed to the preservation of the marine environment. They can be found at . It's time we gave something back.

Illustration Fiday – Flavor

Raisin Bread…

In my previous post, I mentioned that my parents were children of the Great Depression. Another story from my father's childhood revolves around my grandmother and her method of making raisin bread. Having very little money and being frugal to boot, it is said that Nana would make the bread dough and put it on the table across the room. Then she would pick up a solitary raisin and throw it across the room at the waiting dough. If it stuck, they had raisin bread that week. If she missed, she would pick up the raisin and save it for the next loaf to try again.

This week’s assignment was a bit difficult for me and as I tossed and turned in bed last night, I remembered how my Nana added a bit of flavor to her family's meal.

The Lugwah Prize

There's a post by an old cracker writer who sometimes calls himself Old Folks about a journalist who gave himself the Lugwah Prize.

The Lugwah Prize is a commemorative silver dollar showing George Drouillard, the interpreter, scout, hunter, and cartographer, hired for Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery. The coin depicts him pointing to the 'lugwah'. From the French "la gloire" meaning "over that mountain yonder". So all Droulliard had to do was point west and cross the next mountain until he reached the Pacific. And he looked like a genius. All he had to do was keep focused on what was in front of him. But once he achieved his goal, what next? Turn around, retrace your steps, and head home. Old Folks and probably Art Brew himself, would tell you that glory is a foolish thing and that the way back home is more important. For me, family and friends and the experiences in life are more important, but you do have to keep your goals ahead of you and strive to reach them, so you can see what is really important to you.

I have my own Lugwah prize. My parents grew up during the Great Depression. For them, and most people, money was tight at best. My father was the youngest of six. Even then, he wanted money, and what it could provide, of his own. So, at a very young age, he crafted a shoebox from scrap lumber and shined shoes for whatever people would pay him. He was a street kid and an entrepreneur. I still have that wooden box. It may be the one thing I have left that my father made with his own hands. It reminds me that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

The box is very worn.

Illustration Friday – Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all. These two illustrations are part of an ongoing marketing campaign I have for myself. Thank God for Photoshop!

Illustration Friday – Imagine

Can you plack a star from the heavens?

Moelf

Here's a new illustration that I will be using for an upcoming self promo piece. I have really neglected my art in the recent years and am trying to get back into the swing of things.

So, what do you think?

Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye

"I really thought that love would save us all." — John Lennon, October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980

Off and Running

I do my fair share of reading things that other people post on the internet, web sites, forums and blogs, among other things, mostly to expand my knowledge and partly because I think we all have a little bit of voyeur in us. The content of the web sites and blogs run the gamut, but the forums are generally business related, specifically advertising, marketing and design. Most of the time I am truly impressed by what people are willing to share with complete strangers. But every once and a while, I come across a post that gets my blood boiling. For instance, a recent post titled "Why Is Branding Important?" sounded a bit intriguing. I thought that it was a marketing ploy to get me involved in a discussion about branding. After reading the post, I had one of my greatest pet peeves reinforced. The post reads "I would like to ask the following question....if you have a good product...at the right price...is branding really that important?"

I could begin this blog with a rant. It deserves it. But marketers who have to ask the question probably would never understand the answer.