Illustration Friday - Jungle

"Why are senseless slayings so assaulting to the senses?"

As soon as I heard this week's topic, I thought of the concrete jungle. But, "concrete" just doesn't say enough. It has become an urban jungle where only the strongest survive. In business and life on the streets it is the same. It seems man cannot tolerate the earthly jungle of trees and animals…not as a species. We seem to have to dig and destroy and build our own temples to and for ourselves. I would almost say that we are like ants. We build our communities and they spill over into the surrounding landscape. We wage war against the neighboring communities, making raids and stealing food. But that would not be fair to ants.

I just read that Tim Hildebrandt died this past Sunday. For those of you who aren't familiar with his work, he and his twin brother, Greg, were giants in the fantasy illustration field. I first came across their work after reading The Lord of the Rings. He and his brother were also responsible for the original Star Wars movie poster. I am sure that geeks and mouthbreathers all over the world are in mourning. I think their interpretation of Tolkien's work are, by far, the best. Their work is classic, harkening back to N.C. Wyeth's fantastic work on Treasure Island and Robin Hood. The Hildebrandts, along with Frank Frazetta, were some of the biggest influences on my career. Here's a pen and ink that I did way back in 1979.

Tim died due to complications of due to diabetes. There is a tribute to him at Spiderweb Art and more of his art can be seen here without all those messy copyright overlays.

a couple of portraits of mick

I haven't got the slightest idea why, but I found both of these in one of my old sketch books. I thought they were kind of fun so I scanned them and had some fun in Photoshop. They were done a bit later, but they bring me back to my college days, especially my last year.

Illustration Friday - Portrait

So, I am back and busy as ever. I have a few deadlines to keep so I'm just going to have to dig deep. This one is from the late eighties. It is one of my faves.

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?