Monday, April 24, 2006

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.

Friday, March 31, 2006

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.

Friday, March 24, 2006

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.

Monday, March 20, 2006

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.

Friday, March 10, 2006

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.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

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.

Friday, March 03, 2006

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.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

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

Monday, February 13, 2006

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?

Sunday, January 22, 2006

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.

Friday, January 20, 2006

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.

Friday, January 13, 2006

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!

Friday, January 06, 2006

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.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

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.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

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.

Friday, December 23, 2005

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!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

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