1970s Coloring Book

A friend and fellow illustrator found an unusual coloring book from the 70s and after scanning some pages, shared them with friends in the hopes that we would fill in the pages.  I'll be posting finished pages in the coming weeks while balancing out some other projects.  But more information on that later.  

Chelsey

After 19 years my cat passed on, this Saturday, the 10th of November. I felt the need to share sketches that have been made over the years, some fairly old, others more recent.

Teaser: More Illustration on the Way!

See, I have been drawing things.  Just a detail shot for now of a story I am developing. Hope to have some panels inked and ready to share next month.

Barn Owl Hand Puppet

I know I haven't been posting regularly.  But be assured, I do have some illustration projects in the works, I promise.  In the meantime here's a papier mache hand puppet I finished not too long ago.

Rain Barrel: Phase 2

Here are some photos of the updated rain barrel design.

Film Poster Project: Beginnings, Still

My love of Polish poster art and my interest in film has inspired me to create an ongoing series of film posters.  But this project's beginnings are taking awhile to get off the ground due to a tendency to obsess and the illusion of an endless supply of time.  Yes, that is a piece of newsprint dated Sept 2011... The photos below are all of sketches for the film Picnic at Hanging Rock.  Maybe after all this time reworking the possibilities I am nearing a breakthrough.

Rain Barrel Phase 1

 This summer I found myself coerced into painting and now repainting a recently acquired rain barrel.

After planning (sorry about the carpet shot, those are ink stains, really)...

And having just about finished painting...

Familial input overturned the original terracotta fish design in favor of cephalopods galore!  And so this project continues to drag on... Hoping to have this new design finished in a couple of days or so.

Tops Illustrations: Color!

Above are the color versions of the Tops illustrations, for which penciled and inked previews were given in earlier posts.  

Doctor Faustus' Puppet Theatre

Awhile back I had posted a preview of my submission to the third issue of Linework.  With Columbia College Chicago's Manifest 2012 Urban Arts Festival around the corner, where copies of Linework will be available, I feel I can post the full piece.  

Doctor Faustus' Puppet Theatre

The illustration is inspired by the play, Doctor Faustus, written by Christopher Marlowe, and is partly an interpretation of the characterization of the so-called Seven Deadly Sins, who appear in a scene to entertain the title character.  As this play has often been performed by means of puppetry, the characters have been designed as such, which also serves as a way to explore the text and its themes, including control in one's life and death, and free will.


The version that appears in Linework doesn't include the two words of text.  Still deciding which one I like best.  


For more information about Manifest 2012, scheduled on May 4, you can visit http://www.colum.edu/manifest-2012/

Preview: Short Story Collaboration

Here's a preview of a project I am working on with a couple of friends on the east coast, a short story written by one of them, plucked from a dream she remembered.  I happily agreed to illustrate the story, which is in its conceptual stages. It centers on the experiences of an alley cat who good-naturedly shares his knowledge to any felines who by choice or circumstance find themselves confronted with life on the streets. It is, in essence, a personalized survival manual for would-be alley cats. Below are a few selected concept sketches.  

I've tried to keep it to a limit so I don't spoil too much.  I'll keep you posted as the project progresses and particularly when we have a finished story on our hands, ready to distribute in some shape or form.

Turtle Project

So I'm a bit overdue with posting so I thought it was about time that I gave an update.  This is one of the projects I've been working on for a non-profit organization involved in the conservation of sea turtles.  The images of the hatchlings above were created to represent the three main turtle species they work with, the Leatherback, Green, and Loggerhead turtles, respectively.   They'll be used for for various promotional purposes, including use on a t-shirt, as well as the creation of a new logo.  More to come soon.

Inking Details

Here are a few detail shots of the inked Tops illustrations. Coloring to follow!

Tops Illustrations Preview

I'm currently working on a set of illustrations to accompany a collection of wooden tops. The characteristics of each of these toys was considered, from form to spin, each suggesting its own imagery, story and name. The illustrations are informed by the world of science fiction, space exploration, and robots.

Here are some pencil drawings for now. These represent just a few of the illustrations, and they will be inked and digitally colored. More to come!

New Illustration Preview

These are some details of an illustration I am working on for the third issue of Linework, a comics and graphics anthology showcasing work from Columbia College of Chicago alumni, students, and faculty. Just a preview for now until the publication comes out this spring.