Tim Durning Illustration

Blog is a Movin'

2011-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks. Firstly, thanks to those of you who have been reading my blog and following my work here. I hope you continue to do so as I transition the site to a new home on Wordpress. The address is easy enough to remember:
timdurning.wordpress.com
I've already begun posting news on this site including new work and an award I was lucky enough to receive. Thanks and hope to see you there.

Influences

2011-03-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

I recently did a presentation to the junior illustrators at the University of the Arts, where my good pal Chris Patchell teaches. The presentation began with talking about my studio, schedule and projects, but it also included this image tiling of influences on my work. Some images represent artists I admire, other pieces are about a mood or style that resonates with me so I thought I would share it. Enjoy.

Gifts from the Library

2011-03-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

I illustrated and designed a promotional package for The Friends of the Boca Raton Library. The events was their 1st Annual Book Festival, a fundraiser to support their local library. It's been one of my favorite jobs in recent months and The Friends were kind enough to send me a packet of samples and a certificate of their their thanks. Looking forward to the 2nd Annual Book Fair!

New Addition

2011-03-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Studio set up/ 12" Wacom Cintiq hooked up to my 13" MacBook

In my job as an illustrator and comic book colorist, I work almost exclusively in Photoshop painting digitally. This should make things a little easier.

I received this tablet from an in-house job after some negotiation about the fee for a long job. The number was lower than I would have liked and thought that it couldn't hurt to add some trade in to make it a little more fair. The studio, for whom I worked for over 2 years, was super friendly about it and really willing to help me out. I used this tablet a lot when I worked for them and it's a dream for anyone who works digitally, especially in drawing digitally. The screen is a lot smaller than I'm used to at my home studio, but it's a fair trade off in my mind. Now I've just got to work my way up to the full version!

OUT TWO DRY

2011-03-04T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight, March 4th @6pm, is the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society's second Out to Dry show at Brave New Worlds Comics. A collection of sketches, personal work and printing arts will be up for sale on the walls of Philadelphia's premier comics store. I'll have a collection of studies, sketches, and original drawings created for other illustrations, so if you're in the area come out for a great time and buy some art.

More Lineage

2011-02-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

Lineage, a webcomic I produce with writer Michael Taggart, is picking up steam. I'm really happy with the results so far and wanted to share some more pages in the hopes that more of you guys will pick up reading the book.

In the pages below, we're going into the Illicit Disctrict- a place in Home where mystics, prophets and all manner of societal ills are allowed to run rampant so long as they don't stray from the district's borders. Enjoy!

From the Trash Bin

2011-01-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a recent job that was sadly killed in the sketch phase. It was a rushed cover for PW, the story dealt with police submitting Hispanic men in Kensington to random cheek swab tests. I was looking forward to executing this one but it was thought the idea was too abstract, so the paper passed on the job. Better luck, next time I suppose.

Comic News and Notes

2011-01-23T06:08:00.000-08:00

It's an awesome month for comics I work on! The second issue of the Shrek comic by Ape Entertainment came out this month, drawn by Christine Larsen, colors by myself. Below is a preview of one of the spreads, but you can see more at Christine's blog here.

In other news, another project I work on, Valentine, is getting all kinds of great news. In addition to being published by one of the bigger houses in the comics industry – secrets to be revealed later – all of the iPhone/iPad/web versions of the comic are now free to read- investigate here. I hope you check out this awesome fantasy story set during the Napoleonic Wars. I'm working on a print-exclusive bonus story, both drawn and colored by me, so if you want to see more than the meager jpgs that make their way here I hope you'll pick up the book when it's out. Until then, enjoy some more excerpts from issue 8:

Lineage, a webcomic

2011-01-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

I've been quietly working on a comic with writer/bud Michael Taggart. Mike and I have collaborated on lots of projects in the past and this is by far our most ambitious. The story has taken a long time to develop and has gone through several incarnations before we arrived at the current method.

I wanted to keep it under wraps until we had a good amount of backlogged pages, promising I would start making it public in the new year. With the coming of 2011 and 15 pages, we decided now was the time to start going public with our work. The project has allowed me to experiment with new ways of working and there is a lot to look forward to as it evolves. I hope you check out the work and if you like the story so far, check out the website for updates every Wednesday by going to www.lineagecomic.com.

Included here are the first 5 pages. Enjoy.

Boca Raton Library Poster

2010-12-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

I just wrapped up a promotional package for the Boca Raton Public Library. The Friends of the Library are putting on their first of what is to become an annual Book Fair and they asked me to illustrate and design a poster that would be used as mailers, fliers and advertisements.

Some initial sketches

The only directions they gave me were to involve "books and Florida," the latter to include things like beaches, palm trees, etc. While my initial idea was more of a pulling behind or lifting up a library card to reveal the swirls/magic scene, the Friends asked that it be changed to an opening book. As with any print project, I'm looking forward to seeing all of the materials in print. If you live in the Boca Raton area, you can visit the book fair February 5th and 6th at the Spanish River library branch.

Early color comp with initial copy

Teddy Scares Holiday Card

2010-12-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

Joe DiDomenico from Applehead Factory asked me to work with fellow Ape Entertainment artsist Lawrence Hugh Burns in creating this year's Teddy Scares holiday card. Lawrence and I have both worked together with the Teddy Scares characters before so it was easy to slip into that mode again. He has a great ability to not only animate his characters but to fill an image with lots of background elements. It's sometimes a challenge working colors with a dense image like this, but the unique look he brings to the setting is always a great payoff.

Copies of the holiday card will be going out to Applehead Factory's fan club and friends, and I'm excited to be a part of the circulation this year. If you want a copy of the card, I think you can find them on Facebook or join their memership club on their website.

Sketch by Lawrence & Approved color comp.

Jay Z and the Illuminati

2010-12-04T06:43:00.000-08:00

I got an email from Ioana Veleanu at the Philadelphia Weekly to do this week's cover image. The blurb for their main article was about how some hip hop fans believe that the success of artists like Jay Z and Kanye West is linked to their memberships in the Illuminati- a cabal of the wealthiest people in the world who, according to some, uses the force of their shadowy hand to steer the course of world events. This is actually a thing people believe? This was news to me so naturally I went to the internet for some info. My favorite refute to the theory is that, obviously, Kanye West has too big a mouth for the Illuminati and that if he was a member, the Illuminati-Freemasons-Satanists would have had him killed like Tupac and Michael Jackson. Seriously. Read it here, 9th comment.

I worked up the following sketches, trying to incorporate Masonic imagery and Renaissance mysticism.

Sketches done digitally from pencil thumbnails

We went with Sketch 3, but the article had grown to incorporate black politicians and celebrities, so the art director asked me to remove Kanye West and insert Barack Obama and Oprah.

I've mentioned before that I don't have much experience with celebrity likenesses, so this was kind of a struggle to get the faces to the magazine's approval. It's now available in Philadelphia until next Wednesday. Enjoy!

Meg Dunn

2010-11-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

I'll be participating in the newest Philadelphia Cartoonist Anthology, and part of the process is a portrait exchange. Each artist doing a likeness of another for their bios. I was picked to do a portrait for Meg Dunn, an artist, creative director and owner of the creative agency Dunnnamic.

For my own portrait, I scored a piece by the amazing Christine Larsen. I have seen it. It is awesome. You'll see it soon.

Final Sketch

Sketchbook Studies

The Ship, Part 2

2010-11-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Ship, Pt. 2

By Michael Taggart, Illustration by Tim Durning

Cynthia never wears shoes before the first frost. On the walk from the cabin to the shore—surely one of the last barefoot this season—the dewed stones outside the door chill her awake. She gasps sharp air. Thick grass slides between her toes; the soil keeps its warmth better than the stones. She passes the first trees covering the cliff leading to the water, making sure to touch their trunks. The bark is smoother where her hands have often passed over it.

Moss lines the steep descent, coating Cynthia’s feet in slime. She holds on to chest-height limbs to keep her balance until the cliff eases to a gentle grade by the water. After she emerges from the trees, there is sand, stone, and sea—all gray beneath low morning clouds.

Stone to stone, Cynthia hops across the beach—no footprints—to the water, where the waves rush over her ankles. Her skirt clings to her shins. She focuses on the firmness pressing into her arches.

Where they go must have stone and trees, both old enough to be smooth.

With all the lumber he has accrued, and all the time he spends there, Harold has built a small shack by the jetty. November wind can be cruel, especially on the water. In the shed he keeps his tools, a small generator, a space heater, a chair, a blanket, and a map of the planet. The map is covered with pencil lines marking wishful destinations; the most exciting of them are circled again and again.

Harold’s hammer is nearly silent beside the din of crashing waves. The craft is nearly complete, but Cynthia has not seen it. Down the beach, when she wades into the water, she always looks away from the jetty. At first, Harold invited her every day, hoping she would join him at the gangplank. They could sit together in the shack and admire their vessel as it took shape.

I will see it when we sail, she said. Now he simply wakes before dawn and begins working; the sooner he finishes, the better—and winter’s on its way.

Only the final touches remain. He places another nail in the molding above the helm compass. A clip will go above the flat surface by the wheel to hold maps. Screws…he needs screws for the map clip. And the cleats for the lines. Wax—he needs wax for the lines.

Ten thousand little things, but still in all… He looks out over the twin hulls he has made by his hands alone. As the ship bobs up and down in the shallow sea, he feels trust in the deck. This can work; we can travel someplace fresh. Someplace brighter. Maybe someplace with fewer stones.

Harold looks up from the helm to see Cynthia turned toward him. His heart races, and he waves to her.

She does not wave back, only walks along the stones to the tree line. Harold shrugs, and turns to the shack to find some screws.

Yet More Sketches

2010-10-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some more sketches while I work on the next fiction installment. This one is from my Ink-Only sketchbook, with pieces done while watching Mad Men, thinking of cats and vikings.

Elk

2010-10-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

While I'm working on finishing up next month's short fiction piece, enjoy this elk drawn from the dioramas at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

The Ship, Part 1

2010-10-03T12:02:00.001-07:00

The Ship, Part 1

By Michael Taggart, Illustration by Tim Durning

Ribbons of August noon stripe Harold’s arms. They pull, heavy with their tool, and pause a moment between those light columns. Then in a blur, they arc the axe toward the trunk of an ancient pine tree. The wedged gash becomes a little deeper. Harold pants, readjusts his stance, and pulls back again.

“It’s still summer. We don’t need firewood.” His wife Cynthia has come quietly on the path from their cabin. Half of her glows in the full brunt of a sunbeam; the other half fades into penumbra.

Harold lands another blow, leaving the axe in the cut to wipe his brow. His frame is lean from a life lived by his hands. Cynthia, too—the both of them, pointedly separate from the comfortable world.

“This isn’t for firewood,” he says.

Cynthia simply waits.

“I’m starting a new project.”

Still she remains silent.

“I thought…I thought I’d build the boat.”

“The boat.”

He has talked of the boat before. She has little doubt his hands could craft it. And she has heard in detailed mattress fancies the vessel’s design. A catamaran—stable in shallow waters and in deep. She would be large enough for the open ocean, but not so great as to need more than two to sail.

They would close the cabin and launch from the stone jetty only yards from their door. Harold has a sextant he has labored long to understand, and an astrolabe that yet eludes him. By stars and compass alone, they would travel the oceans and find some other place untouched by comfortable things.

Oh, he has recited this endless times before drifting to sleep on her shoulder. Never before has he taken an axe to pine with intent to fashion a keel.

Cynthia crosses her arms. “Is this really what you want?”

Harold again takes up the axe. “It is.”

She walks up behind him. He pauses in his swings. In his ear, she whispers, “I love you, so we will do this. But I prefer the forest.”

He turns to her. “But I love you, and could not sail alone.”

“I know,” she says, taking hold of his arm. “But where we go is up to me.”

Hallowed Halloween

2010-09-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to another joint Philadelphia Cartoonists' Society & Autumn Society show, this one's theme is Hallowed Halloween. 32 artists giving their take on all things Halloween with a focus on the traditional roots of the holiday- i.e. no Monster Squad tribute pieces. The show is at Proximity Gallery, opening October 1st. Proximity is located at 2434 East Dauphin St., Philadelphia, PA.

I did a lot of research about Samhain and other harvest/seasonal celebrations, settling on the idea of dressing up to ward oneself from the spirits that walk the earth at this time of year. It was believed that because this time of year was the time when plants and animals began to die off as summer fades, the dead could reach into this world. Men and women would disguise themselves as spirits and carry carved turnips that were lit with a candle to ward off the more harmful ghosts. I took to opportunity to draw a bundle of spirits, some inspired by myth/folklore and others purely imagined.

Some other info below. Sketch done in Photoshop which is then printed on top of paper to do the final drawing. Colored lines, then the flats which help to keep selections easy and streamline the color.

Goin' Hollywood

2010-09-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

I had a new experience a few weeks ago, being asked to work on concepting for a local film project in Philadelphia. The director had seen my work and thought I would be a good fit for the project in developing concept art for the funding stage of the project. The script was a subtle treatment for a story that dealt with grief, recovery and the spirits of lost love ones. It seemed to be a story that fit me. Included are the three rough sketches that we developed in a back and forth. The short film is called Finding Father and I wish the project luck as they move forward.

The Lip of Everything

2010-09-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

The Lip of Everything

By Michael Taggart, Illustration by Tim Durning

You brought me to the plateau’s edge with sure steps. I would have turned back if not for such a firm path to follow. Footprints only guide my own steps; I cannot bear the whipping sand and dust when I bring my head up from a groundward gaze.

The seasons will change in moments, and the canyon below will roar with red wind. You say we’re light enough—and the wind will be strong enough—to carry us aloft.
What comes next no one has said.

Maybe the gale will carry us off to some other canyon. We’ll spend the winter there, and return when the seasons turn again. Maybe we’ll be too heavy and fall below the streams of red dust rushing through the canyon—down below hope. And maybe the wind will have mercy and set us down gently at the foot of the steppe.

Have you ever been this high? I can breathe the air so easily, despite the wind and the dust. Here it moves past you; at the bottom it hangs all around. This is glory.

You step off before I can say another word—so fast I can’t see where you’ve gone. Stepping to the edge, I don’t see you falling, but you could already have fallen below the red windriver.

Here I am at the lip of everything. Everything I stand to gain, everything to lose.

I’ve heard no worthier gamble.

© 2010 by Michael Taggart

Sketching in Canada

2010-08-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier last month I had the opportunity to go on a road trip up through Pennsylvania and into Canada with friends from high school. It was my first time exploring the North and the siren song of its autumn-like summer, but I hope to have the chance to visit again. Below are some sketches from the journey.

Clouds over the QEW

Toronto and the cloudy skies.

Campsite at Cherry Springs

The River Wild

2010-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

The River Wild, 13.5x5", graphite/digital

I got a call from the AD at GRID Magazine, a Philadelphia publication that focuses on sustainability and environmental concerns, to do a piece for their back page essay entitled The River Wild. The author advocates swimming in the local rivers of Philadelphia and the possibilities thereof. The nature of the article made me cringe a bit, bringing to mind the idea of trash and debris (read, bodies) floating about you while you're out for a bit of swim, but there is a confidence and love of nature in the article that imbues the reader with the sense of curiosity. It made me want to experience the historic bodies of water in my backyard and embrace the river. That, and the article makes a point to mention how clean the rivers are these days.

UPDATE/ The AD was kind enough to send me a PDF of the article in its layout. So, enjoy the piece in its home.

Sketches

Tumbleweeding

2010-08-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Tumbleweeding
By Michael Taggart, Illustration by Tim Durning

The sink turns on every time, so you and I are not thirsty. This I know; this I’ve seen.

Colorado left me cold, which I suppose is Colorado’s job. A childhood of white everything stoked a hunger for the deeper tones—brick and blood reds, desert yellows, rich blues of ancient dye. For this hunger, I chose to leave Boulder as a tumbleweed, which raised everyone’s eyebrows. Eagle would have made my parents proud, and mountain would have offered some financial stability, but the notion of life as tumbleweed appealed to me: to be the ultimate freewheeler, rolling the Four Corners, slave to nothing, driven only by prevailing winds.

I did not expect roots.

In Utah, I tumbleweeded over holy roots that pulled at my loose deadgrass sphere. But for a strong gulfstream draft pulling me away, the holy roots would have me now. They wanted me to put on a tie, and they sang so well I was almost sold. Angels, they said, came now and again to give them the sweetest water you ever tasted. Just wait a while, and you’ll taste it. Tumbleweeds don’t drink water, sweet or not. As a seed, as a coyote, as a cloud, I would have stayed.

In Arizona, I tried to tumbleweed into the oldest roots. I had heard airy stories, almost mystic stories, about the wisdom in the juices of these old roots. And they did go deep, or at least they claimed. Some could not remember their depths—perhaps yesterday, perhaps the first raindrop. Well I could not stay with the old roots, even if they wanted me to—and I’m not sure they did. The roots’ arms that touched me on the surface were starved and sick with bad water. They had forgotten how to reach deep for strength. The ones I saw anyway, but the stories came from somewhere I suppose.

Plague ran rampant in New Mexico. Roots crumbled in every neighborhood I rolled past, and all the oldest ones had the same explanation: the strange roots from elsewhere made us sick. Now these strange roots didn’t say much at all, and the only sickness I could see was thirst. They worked hard inching their tendrils deep into the soil, where water might rest. Most of the new, strange roots accused the old ones of hoarding all the water. Maybe they did. Old roots do. But old roots also don’t work as hard; they don’t see the point. So When the young and strange roots found some water, they weren’t about to share it. And they all yelled at each other and hated at each other for the hottest parts of the day. Thank goodness for the winds off the Pacific; I wanted out of there before the water ran out again.

Those Pacific winds blew me right back to Boulder. I shook off the shape of the deadgrass ball, fatigued of freewheeling. The rivers run rich from the mountains, and we all drink freely—I less so than others. I’ll ask for the smallest cups and sip gingerly as my family takes big gulps from jugs filled in springs and wells and glaciers. They tell me it’s a phase I’ll pass through, an artifact from the tumbleweeding. But I’ve seen thirsty; I am not thirsty. Small sips will do, from cups filled at the sink.

Philadelphia Weekly

2010-07-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to do the most recent cover of the Philadelphia Weekly. A lot of illustrators I admire like Edward Kinsella and Tim Gough have graced the covers and as such PW has been on my client wish-list for a while. The story itself is a sad one about a woman who kept almost 90 animals in her small row home. They were all uncared for, living is squalid conditions. The PSPCA raided the home after complaints from the neighbors. The neighborhood has been shaken up by the incident and the events leading up to the raid have caused strife on Earp St. that continues to this day. To read the full article on PW's website, read here.

Regarding the image, AD Robyn John wanted a cast of dogs spilling from all parts of this house, seemingly left to fend for themselves. I tried to make the place look cold and dingy – my experience with Philadelphia apartments informed that part quite a bit.

The chosen sketch

The image sans design. 10.13x10.875", graphite/ink/digital

Recent Work

2010-07-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share some of my recent work in this sort of shotgun, link-filled post. Hope you enjoy the pieces

PowerGons, 13.75x10", Graphite/ink/digital

Illustration for HDRI 3D Magazine about PowerGons, a rendering tools that transforms normal polygons into effect-producing elements.

Awakening, 6.625x10.25, Graphite/ink/digital

A pinup for Volume 2 of my friend Alex Eckman-Lawn's graphic novel Awakening, published by Archaia.

I recently took over doing colors for the comic Valentine with Alex de Campi and Christine Larsen. Monsters, swords and magic. These are all from Volume 5, available from iTunes/Android stores by Robot Comics.

All Hands on Deck

2010-07-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Drowned Man's Pageantry, 10x15", graphite/ink/digital

I will be participating in another show at Chapterhouse Gallery in Philadelphia. The show is title All Hands on Deck, a collaborative show with 30 artists from the area. In the words of the collaborator:

"In July 2010, in America's birthplace of Philadelphia, 30 emerging young artist of diverse skill sets have enlisted their services in riding the waves of discovery in effort to provide new additions of pictures to provide visual dialogs of mankind's fascination with the sea.

words. Matt Cavanaugh"

My piece, The Drowned Man's Pageantry, is on display. The show is opening on Friday July 9th, at Chapterhouse Gallery, 620 South 9th Street Philadelphia, PA. Hope you enjoy it.

The Cloud Journal

2010-07-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

The Cloud Journal

By Michael Taggart, Illustration by Tim Durning

The cirrus is the coming or going of stormclouds, their vanguard or their echo. If the ground is wet, the sky was violent yesterday; otherwise it will be tonight.

August, so the smell of rain on hot asphalt lingered. An evening thunderstorm blew out quick, and the sky bled orange and purple through every window. You would leave for the war in the morning. I was afraid but couldn’t say so. I slammed the house door and the porch door and got goosebumps from the air suddenly chilled. I wanted to walk to clear my head. I walked all night. By the time I returned, the moon had risen and set. I fell asleep on the couch. Your car was gone when I woke.

A note on the kitchen table:

Dad,

Went early to spare you. We’ll talk soon.

We live under the takeoff path. I ran outside and tried to find your plane flying over our house. All I saw were cirrus clouds, marring an otherwise perfect sky. No trace of last night’s rain, no trace of your jet trails. I wondered if the cirrus were for last night’s storm, or one yet to come.

Cumulus humilis form in fair weather. They are light and fluffy, and abundant on idyllic spring days. Often found in the memories of young lovers and parents teaching their children to fly kites.

It was inevitable you would fall in love with airplanes. I don’t blame you, of course—we live by the airbase because I love them too.

Six years old, running in a dandelion-spotted field hidden in Virginia hills. Your mother and I felt young under the endless cumulus parade. We lied in the May grass and let our eyes hop from one cloud to the next, while you made jet noises and ran zigzags on the hill, your arms outstretched. You soared over and hovered above us, a sunlight corona around your head and shoulders.

Daddy, you said, can you fly airplanes?

I smiled. I used to, but not anymore.

Why?

I wanted to be with you and Mommy.

I want to fly airplanes too.

Your mother rolled her eyes. I leapt up and flew you around in my arms, and we made jet noises together.

When it seems as though the sky simply wants to deny you sunlight—that is nimbostratus. It looks gray all day but never rains.

Annapolis, twenty-two. The pictures never show a gray commencement—God knows mine wasn’t. The hats went up anyway, as did the cheers.

I was proud, of course, but anxious. I knew what came next: Pensacola, then San Antonio or Corpus Christi, then maybe home to Virginia. Oceana is where they fly the fast jets.

I’m gonna get those gold wings like my old man, you said.

I told you I loved you no matter what you did, but I don’t think you believed me. Somehow in your four midshipman years—and maybe in the years of daydreaming before—you had made those wings the only way to make me proud.

I was proud when you acted in the school plays, too. Or when you wanted to learn the guitar.

Anything you did would have made me beam, but you couldn’t see.

Cumulonimbus—the granddaddy of clouds. Towering, dark, sinister beasts so full of power they humble a man just to look at one. Pilots know to avoid these as best they can. But sometimes they come too fast and grow too big. Then you just have to punch through and hope you stay in the air.

Tonight’s storm has hail to it; you would love it.

I forgive you for leaving how you did. I know why. I’m sorry I couldn’t say what needed saying better.

The first deployment is always the hardest, but easier these days. Your mother and I will write you every day, and send you videos if we can figure out how to work the camera. Don’t forget how many people care about you here. Keep safe for them as much as yourself.

I won’t say anything about the job. You have plenty to tell you about that where you are.

This is going to be a long summer without you around. I already miss naming clouds and airplanes on our morning run. It will be a long fall and winter too. We just have to push through, as always.

If I were a braver man, I could say some of these things to you. There are old pilots, bold pilots, but no old bold pilots. Having lived to see you become you, I am happy to not be bold. More honest, I wish, but there it is.

You will not read this soon. It doesn’t matter, though—the clouds won’t come in different shapes then.

Red Face

2010-06-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

In the Southwest

2010-06-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to go on a trip through the Southwest recently, mainly in Utah and Arizona, hiking/camping in parks like Bryce Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, the Goosenecks, and the Grand Canyon. Though I've never been to the desert I have always loved the colors and feel that the rocky spires and open space elicits. The trip offered lots of up close and personal experiences while hiking down amongst the rocks, learning about the geology that is behind the landscape, and the occasional museum trip to learn about the tribes who have been living in the area for thousands of years.

The words here can only hint at the full experience, but suffice to say I really enjoyed exploring a landscape that is so unlike wooded Pennsylvania. As it goes, I had to bring work with me so I'll be posting new illustrations soon. Until then, pretty pictures of the desert.

Kate Nash

2010-04-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

Kate Nash, 8x6", graphite/ ink/ digital

In an exercise in likenesses, I've done a quick portrait of British musician Kate Nash. Inspired by her album Made of Bricks, which is bright, clever, and confrontational, I wanted something straight forward that was not directly musical and featured her trademark hair.

Hope you enjoy the piece. I don't often do portraits but I know I want to try my hand at more.

A Girl & Her White Knight

2010-03-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

A Girl & Her White Knight, 17.6x14", pencil/ink/digital

The above is a new image I'll be using in a mail promotion in the coming weeks. I wanted to try something more complicated in the use of the figure, so there's a bunch of them. The idea is one that's a bit old timey or romantic- a girl finding comfort from the throng with her own "white knight," a bit of hero imagery in there. I hope you enjoy it. PS- The landscape from the last post would have gone in place of the flower panel, but didn't work out.

White Knight details, Click to enlarge

I'm also posting some of my work outside of illustration. A good portion of my work is in design and, more and more lately, doing colors for comic books. The samples below are from Shrek for Dreamworks (pencils/inks provided by the wonderful Christine Larsen), a logo design for a cycling kit, and Teddy Scares for Applehead Factory (done with Chris Patchell and Lawrence Hugh Burns). The Shrek books will premier on Free Comic Book Day, May 2nd and Teddy Scares will premier the their 2nd season of graphic novels at San Diego Comic Con, July 22-25.

Click to enlarge

Didn't Make the Cut

2010-03-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Landscape for White Knight, 4x17", pencil/digital

I'll be posting some new work soon, but while I get that together I wanted to share a piece that didn't make it. In my images, I've always enjoyed combining disparate ideas to try and reach a single impression- it also lets me work on several of my favorite subjects at once.

This landscape was going to go into a piece, but in the end it just made it too busy. Poor guy. I still like the piece for its simplicity, and I will always enjoy drawing grassy fields and clouds, so I thought I would share this image rather than just burying it. Enjoy.

Rust

2010-02-14T08:23:00.001-08:00

Rust, 7.5x10", graphite/digital

Hi all. I've just completed an image for ArtOrder- a blog run by Jon Schindehette, senior art director for Dungeons & Dragons over at Wizard's of the Coast. Jon runs these great challenges for illustrators to create monsters, book covers, characters, maps and a myriad of other fantasy creations. I was really enticed when he announced the Rust challenge. This challenge was interpretive from the get go. Jon supplied us only with dimensions, color profile, and this quote:

"A sword, a spade, and a thought should never be allowed to rust"

~ James Stephens, Irish poet and storyteller, 1882-1950

Everything else was up to the artist, which is fantastic. I still wanted to operate within the DnD universe and thought to portray a rusted, old, forgotten warforged who is being revived or healed by a mysterious mage-kinda girl. I liked playing with the idea that the warforged is that type of creature who is all at once, sword, spade and thought. From there the quote took on an interesting concept- does this girl serve a guild of artificers seeking to restore these dormant creatures, what is her relation to the warforged, etc. I feel like I have a whole story around this picture, but it's more internalized and hard to write out.

Sketches, Finished drawing, Color study.

All of the entries should be up on the blog within days, but until then check out this in-progress drawing by art-friend Kristina Carroll. Looking forward to seeing that painting. Thanks and enjoy.

I think I Have a Problem

2010-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

I've always been fascinated by an artist's studio space. Perhaps as a result of this (or vice versa?) I am constantly evaluating my own space in search of some perfect organization. Mostly, I think I just swap stuff around every few months. In any case, the above is the current arrangement of my studio. This time a new large format printer necessitated the move-around because otherwise it would have never left the box. Feel free to share links to your own workspace!

Any one interested in this like I am can find great workspace tips and photos at Drawger's own studio section and LifeHacker's featured workspaces.

Cipactli

2010-01-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Cipactli, 8.75x7.5", graphite/digital

Hi everybody. I had the chance to do concept work for Incubator Games' flagship title, Tribes of Mexica. They were looking to redo the design of a god in the game, Cipactli. Knowing close to nothing about Aztec mythology, I went to Wikipedia and read up about her:

In Aztec mythology, Cipactli was a vicious primeval sea monster, part crocodile, part fish and part toad who was also bisexual. Always hungry, every joint on her body was adorned with an extra mouth. Tezcatlipoca sacrificed a foot to her when he used it as bait to draw her closer. Cipactli was the source of Tlalticpac (the Earth) which the gods created from her body.

In my sketches I tried some various combinations of the animals they list in the description but also tried to mix in some of the cultural flavor surrounding the game. The art director thought the adornments were a step removed from the primal nature of Cipactli, but gave me the go ahead on my first sketch. Check out there website to see more of the great design, especially the cover illustration by UK artist Alice Duke.

Some thumbnails, done at pub quiz.

Watch that last step,

2010-01-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

11.75x12", graphite/digital

it's a doozy. Above is the recent cover image I did for the Indypendent. The main focus of the articles regard a disillusionment of the Obama administration. One of the editors suggested a play on a past image that had Obama walking on water. It seemed like a clear message, the failure to deliver on the Messianic image of the campaign, but I wanted to give them a few other options.

In the end, they went with the 3rd sketch but suggested a more obvious connection to Jesus with the robes and more obvious fumble than the slow sinking I suggested in the sketch. I liked the dynamic approach, and the chance to take on a likeness was generally new to me- the 1 day turn around kept it exciting as well. I'm looking forward to seeing the piece in print with type. Enjoy.

Cloud Computing

2009-12-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

Cloud Computing, 12x15", Graphite/ink/digital

Howdy all. The above is a new illustration about cloud computing. I've been reading a lot about all of the advancements in cloud computing, browser based applications, and new services like Google Wave. It's a broad term, but the illustration focuses on the idea that your computer is not the end destination of your computing experience but rather a gateway to these greater capabilities.

The original sketch included a halo element that was the Google Chrome logo, Google being one of the largest components of the technology, but it felt too overt.

Cloud Computing Line Drawing

Paper Components

Further Experimentation

2009-11-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

Kanye, They're After Me, A Suspicious Man

The above are results of further experimentation. Average time under 1 hr. More to come.

Starting with no direction

2009-11-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

1hr., Digital/Ink

Grief Through Times of Strife

2009-11-08T21:52:00.001-08:00

Grief Through Times of Strife, 21x16", Colored Pencil/digital

This is the latest in a small series of promotional images interpreting common editorial themes. I hoped to find some interesting ways to solve the issues and satisfy myself at the same time. The above is Grief Through Times of Strife. These pieces are further meant to express one of my favorite aspect of editorial illustration- a collaborative nature that lets an illustrator step outside traditional modes of communication to express some concept or mood to a viewer and enhance their understanding or participation in a given material, written or otherwise. Meaning, the chance to create images that are essentially fantastic in nature. You can find lots of examples of illustrators who combine an amazing craft with a truly unique/extraordinary thinking, and for me I've always strived to expand on both. So, more to come but I hope you enjoy the piece.

Recent Sightings at the Sketchbook

2009-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

Recent drawings from life, television, reference, and other sources.

Forthcoming

2009-11-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

Click for larger view

Much of my work recently has been either long term illustration projects or comic book work, all of which has a pretty long turn around. I felt the blog here has suffered a bit for that, and I wanted to write this little note saying I'll be concentrating on keeping my updates more consistent. Above is a sample of work that I'll be posting about in the future, but I'll most likely be sharing more of my personal work and sketches- something I've tried to keep on the down low in this space to focus more on full fledged pieces. In any case, I hope you enjoy the new work when it comes around and stay tuned.

I also wanted to mention some shows I'll be participating in around Philadelphia:
11/5-11/30: Creature Double Feature @Brave New Worlds in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Cartoonists Society.
11/14-11/30: Solo Show @Hobb's in Swarthmore.
11/20-11/30: Taking part in a 3 person show at a new Manayunk gallery, Unlimited Editions, run by my friend and fellow illustrator Karen Hagen. I'm very excited to be hanging with Rachel Reinfurt and art buddy extraordinare Reau.

The New Space

2009-10-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

Click for larger view

Building Bridges

2009-10-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Building Bridges, 13.5x16.75, Colored pencil/digital

I just wrapped up 1 of 2 promotional pieces recently. I'm trying to explore some common editorial themes in interesting ways, hopefully stretching my illustration-vocab in the process. I can't exactly remember how this piece began; sketching samurai, puzzling together a bridge, and the color palette were all separate ideas that came together in this piece. Beyond the concept itself I wanted to incorporate elements of past pieces that has worked out well, and also to try working a bit larger. It came out pretty good, I'm happy to say. I even got a mini-illustration out of the 1st detail posted below. I think that little crop has some neat possibility in itself.

The next piece will be out shortly once some other jobs are wrapped up, so stick around for some more content shortly. Hope you enjoy, thanks.

Detail

Dia de los Muertos

2009-09-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Dia de los Muertos, 6.385x10.25", graphite/digital

I was invited to participate in the Autumn Society of Philadelphia'a first invitational show, the theme of which was the holiday Dia de los Muertos. It's odd that these shows are getting a little regimented, but hopefully this new venue and the artists involved will make for a good show. What little I know of the holiday has been gleamed from Ray Bradbury's Halloween Tree and a Venture Bros. episode, so it was interesting to read about the holiday to get some ideas for the piece. One of the coolest things about it was how people believe that the ghosts would be attracted by marigolds- the "flor de muerto." So, the image of a ghost boy spectrally floating about this flower came to mind immediately.

I had limited time to get the piece done so I focused more on the drawing than the painting, but I was able to try some things I've been thinking about recently- like, oddly enough, ghosts! Enjoy.

Golf, for the New York Times

2009-08-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to work for the New York Times; a publication I've dreamed of working with for a long time. I was a bit nervous because the piece was running as the cover of a special section for the PGA Tour, but the art directors there were very positive, supportive, and great to work with.

The original piece, 9.5x24", pencil & digital

The piece was to inaugurate a new elite golf course in Jersey City called Liberty National. Built by major golf professionals, it's situated in such a place on the river that is has a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty. The AD wanted the statue to the main focus of the piece, and as we went on with sketch revisions the piece got more airy and atmospheric (which is totally awesome).

Sketches

Sketching While Away

2009-08-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

I've had a fair share of traveling this season, but thankfully last week was spent relaxing in New Jersey with family. While waiting to post some new work, I thought I would post some sketches I did while away. I've been trying to work with ink lately, so most of these sketches are my very early experiments with what is, for me, a new medium. In any case, enjoy.

8-Bit & Beyond, Tonight

2009-08-07T05:13:00.001-07:00

Just a head's up, the image below will be on display with lots of great video game inspired works at Brave New Worlds in Philadelphia. This opens today, Friday the 7th, and is up until the end of the month. So far we've gotten a lot of great coverage, so here's hoping the turn out is just as great.

NC's Shadow

2009-07-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hi guys. This was a little spur of the moment study I did while sketching out my submission to the Autumn Society's 8-Bit and Beyond show. The theme is, of course, video games and I immediately jumped at the chance to do something from my favorite game of all time, Shadow of the Colossus. It's a beautiful, mysterious, and atmospheric adventure and this seemed like a pretty obvious parody. If another artist has done the same thing, I'd love to know- I had a sinking feeling I wasn't the first to put these two things together. Otherwise hope you like it, and enjoy some purple shadows. Thanks!

New Personal Work

2009-07-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

It Flew at Sunset, 14.5 x 19.5", pencil/ink/digital

The Wreck, 4.25 x 7.5", Ink on Rives BFK

These are two recent pieces completed for my show in Philadelphia. The ink piece is one that I'm especially interested in, because it's a medium I'm just starting to wrestle with. I've long admired people who use it to create magnificent images; artists like Jeff Smith, Paul Pope, etc. The other piece is more cathartic than anything else- the last finished illustration I created and it's birds, figurative work, clouds, and swirls. Everything I love drawing.

Opening @Chapterhouse Friday!

2009-07-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

Friday July 10th, 6-9PM
@Chapterhouse, 620 South 9th St.

I've been posting a lot of information about my upcoming show with SM Vidaurri, and I'm proud to say that the opening is fast approaching. There will be a small reception at Chapterhouse on Friday July 10th, from 6-9pm. I'm looking forward to relaxing with a nice cup of coffee on a beautiful Philadelphia evening. Come on out to enjoy some great art.

And to post something new(er), the below is a sketch for another piece that will be available at Chapterhouse.

Buddha/Lotus

2009-06-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Buddha, Lotus, & the Wheel, 8.25x14", pencil/ink/digital

The above is the newest addition to my show in July with SM Vidaurri. It's something of an amalgamation from my sketchbook, as well as an experiment with combining several processes I've used before. Buddhist art an symbolism is something I've always found really interesting and so I wanted to work within that framework. The show opens next month, July 10th.

Early Morning Studio

2009-06-13T04:27:00.001-07:00

Of Plutonium & Detectives

2009-06-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

Sleuthing Nuclear Smuggling, 10x6.5", pencil/digital

While I was in Yellowstone, I received an email from the art director of Security Management about doing a spot. The article, Sleuthing Nuclear Smuggling, was about how the black market sale of nuclear materials can't be stopped through electronic detection devices alone, but more hands on detective work.

I worked up some film noir imagery with magnifying glasses, spy movie lighting, etc, but thankfully because I had some time to get the sketches done I didn't need to rely on my immediate ideas (some of which were a bit tired). They chose my 3rd sketch, wherein an agent peels back the 2d skin of a briefcase to reveal it's nuclear contents. The end product came along well and the magazine was very easy to work with. It was a great chance to do the kind of illustration I really hope to be doing more of in the future.

Sketches

2009-06-07T05:21:00.001-07:00

Miriam sleeping on the train to New York, 3.5x5.5"

Don't use brush pens at high altitudes, 5x8.25".

Squid! 5x8.25",

New work is soon to come, but until I can post that work I thought I'd share some recent sketches. Enjoy.

Montana to Wyoming

2009-05-31T22:06:00.000-07:00

Just a few samplings from the recent trip to Yellowstone.

Society of Illustrators

2009-05-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few pics from the night in New York attending the opening of the Society of Illustrator's Scholarship Show. It was great hanging out up in the city, seeing the show, and running into friends. I was lucky enough to have two pieces in the show, which was a real surprise. Congrats to fellow show buddies Juri Hayasaka, Kristina Carroll, & Dan Fishel. To those to whom I introduced myself or talked to, thanks for bearing with my awkward conversational skills :)

Old and New

2009-05-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

New Appeals to the Old, 9x9.75", pencil/digital

The above is the newest spot I did for the Indypendent. The article involved a record label with an audience rooted in the past that is using modern effects in their recordings. More writing to come.

Sketches

2009-05-04T20:08:00.001-07:00

All done in a 3x5.625" sketchbook with ink, watercolor, red pencil, acrylic.

Warlord: CCG Illustrations

2009-04-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sir Chretien Rellion, 10x8.2", pencil/digital

Stolen Mount, 9x7.35", pencil/digital

I'm happy that I can finally show some of the pieces I've done for the fantasy card game Warlord, by AEG. I've always been a big fan of fantasy in books, art, and games (though never a big CCG player), so this was a great opportunity to have fun and draw some dudes in armor amidst adventure. The deadline for multiple cards was challenging, but they were a pleasure to work with hopefully, I'll get the chance to work with Warlord again.

I did a few card illustrations for the first round, and wanted to share the 2 I liked best, along with my favorite sketches for the pieces (including one that wasn't chosen). I was working within their style guide, which really helped flesh out the world and give me some ideas as to how I could design costuming based on the type of card I had.

Also, thanks to a spoiler website I was able to see an early copy of one of the cards in its design. Pretty cool!

Golden Apples II

2009-04-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Golden Apples, 9.25x17, Pencil & Digital

The above is the finish for the Golden Apples piece that will be up at Chapterhouse in Philadelphia this July. Hope to see you their.

Golden Apples

2009-04-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Drawing for Golden Apples, 9.25x17", Red pencil

This is the drawing for my next gallery piece. The idea behind this piece is part myth, spun with my personal taste. I'm doing these pieces as they come from a series of thumbnails I did when I was first invited to show at Chapterhouse, and I'm interested to see what type of show they put together.

Detail

I previously posted other material for this piece, sketches, etc, and thought I would put them back up since this piece is moving along again.

Sketch 1

Sketch 2

Spring

2009-04-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

Spring, 10x13.5", pencil & digital

The above is the finished image I'll be using as both a promotional mailer and also in my upcoming show in July. I wanted to try out something a little different with the surrounding branches that would showcase the actual drawing a bit more. I've had to draw a lot of those branches lately for my Sleepy Hollow project, so I was excited to show off the new work. Hopefully I'll get a good response from the mailer, but regardless it's a strong addition to the show.

Progress II

2009-04-12T14:31:00.001-07:00

Drawing for Spring, 10x13.5"

New Sleepy Hollow

2009-04-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

Sleepy Hollow pg. 19, 6.625x10.25" pencil & digital

Here's a new page from the book I'm working on, and will soon be finishing. It's the reveal of the Horseman himself, and the page just before we begin the big chase/climax. My editor likes to shy away from the overtly ghostly in this story, and tries to stay on the traditional side (so as to not lean on the Horseman's true identity one way or the other), but in light of this I was happy he saw fit to keep the mist the leaks from the Horseman's cowl that I added. The book is due out in May.

Spring, 10x13.5

This is a sketch for an upcoming promotional piece. For the next mailer I wanted to develop a picture that could be applicable to a lot of different places, and the main concept it of course "growth." It could be about inspiration, hope, recovery, spring, gardening, or economics and hopefully potential clients will see a lot of possibilities in this piece.

From the Archives

2009-04-04T06:26:00.001-07:00

Machu Picchu, 11.4x16" Pencil and Digital

Hello all. While waiting to post some recent CCG work I did, I wanted to bring out an old piece I did as a gift. Last year I was thrilled to accompany my girlfriend, her sister, and brother-in-law to a tour of Peru, our focus being the great ancient city of Machu Picchu. Every day was a breath taking display of mountains, jungles, deserts, and a collection of ancient treasures surrounded by myth.

I felt that I could never thank my girlfriend's family enough, but I wanted to try to show my gratitude in some way. In my attempts I tried to make something of a memorial of our time there. The above is the result of that; llamas played a big part in our trip, and of course the Machu Picchu was the Holy Grail of the whole thing. Below, an actual picture of the city taken by my girlfriend.

Page 17

2009-03-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sleepy Hollow pg 17, 6.625x10.25", pencil, ink, digital

Here's a recent page from Sleepy Hollow book I'm doing. The horseman is just about to make his first appearance (other than the cover...ahem), and poor Mr. Crane is riding home alone through a dark forest. Every page seems to have something new for me to try.

Studies II

2009-03-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

Celebration of the Suds 2009

2009-03-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

A small sampling of places my design appeared

Over the summer I got the job to do the poster for the Celebration for the Suds, a beer festival held in Atlantic City this past weekend. I was anxious to see how the piece would be utilized, and was excited to find out that it had been used for shirts, posters, and badges, and tickets used to vote for the attendees' choice drink. Shirts sold out on the first day, and all weekend I got to see people wearing the badges made from the illustration.

The promoter was awesome to work with, dressed appropriately in a bright green crushed velvet suit jacket, he had so many ideas that made the festival more than a party, but a gathering for brewers, distributors, and consumers. He was also nice enough to provide me with the sampling of material from above. We talked about getting a design together for next year's event, and I'm determined to blow him away with what I can come up with.

Below, the original poster.

LSH Sketch

2009-03-14T00:17:00.000-07:00

For a while now I've been working on a comic book version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This is a recent sketch that I really liked and wanted to share. I feel a bit out of my element doing a full length comic, but pages like this one let me settle in and really stretch out. I've learned a lot through the process, and thankfully the editor asked me to do a short story in the next collected book he's doing, so I can start a new project with a fresh perspective. Either way, I'm looking forward to this page.

Study

2009-03-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is a quick study for an upcoming piece, done while waiting on approval for sketches. Hrm.

In Progress

2009-02-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I want to stop in the middle of a piece, because of the simple effects. Unfortunately because of the nature of this I have to push onward, but I just wanted to share this little piece. /musing

Sketches & SoI

2009-02-20T15:53:00.000-08:00

Autumn & Lunar Moth

I'm very excited to say that 2 pieces of mine we accepted into the Society of Illustrators Student Competition! I was extremely excited to hear about it and really looking forward to the show in NY. Like with most competitions I had written it off and looked forward to entering the next ones, but this time things seemed to have worked out.

In other news, the above are sketches for an Indypendent article about the trouble down the road that comes with the downturn in mass production economies in Asia.

Asia, The Coming Fury. Pencil, digital 4x5.75"

Update: The above is the finished spot illo.

New Work

2009-02-03T11:53:00.000-08:00

6.625x10.25", pencil & digital

Hello, all. Amidst the chaos that is this week, I'm taking some time to put up some new work. The above is the cover of my book project with Powerpop Comics, a graphic adaptation of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

11x12", pencil, ink wash, and digital

The other image is the first finished piece of my upcoming gallery show with SM Vidaurri. The piece is the resolution of a sketch I had posted earlier. I hope you enjoy.

Spot for the Indypendent

2009-01-31T21:07:00.000-08:00

8x13", graphite, ink, & digital

The above is a finish I just did for an article in the Indypendent about how the Oscar nominations support movies that extract the historical significance of stories and focus on the personal aspects of their main characters.

I approached this one very freely and sort of "shot from the hip" to experiment with some new tricks I've wanted to try out. I'm hazey on the results. Not to say I don't think it's a good and effective image, but whether this methodology is a good fit for me. We'll see how they're integrated into my roster of tricks. Anyway, hope you like it. Thanks

Initial sketches for the assignment

Studio!

2009-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

Drafting/drawing table on the left, digital on right.

'Cause I like seeing pictures of artists' studios

UPS Montage

2009-01-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

UPS Montage, 20x15.75" Pencil and digital

I wanted to wait until the all clear before posting about this project, but it was about 2 months ago when this all started. I had the opportunity to work with UPS to provide a piece of art for their main New York office that would also be used as a gift for their upper level executives.

My contact at UPS had asked for a single image to encompass the 11 districts in the Northeast Region as well as some UPS imagery. The sketches he wanted were to range from 11 distinct depictions of the districts, to a more interpretive sketch. After some sketch refinements between me and the client, we settled on the more distinct sketch that had sections specific to the areas they represent as well as a depiction of the UPS process in general.

It was a bit intimidating working for a company like UPS, but also challenging in the image itself. It took a lot of subjects I never really experienced, like automobiles and certain landscapes, that were then tied in together with about a dozen scenes. The time between sketch and finish was a little shorter than I'd like for a complicated image, but in the end both the client and I were happy with it, so really what more can I ask for?

Original Drawing, 20x15.75" Red pencil

Second and first round of sketches

"It's gonna take a MON-tage! Even Rocky had a montage.."

Chapterhouse

2009-01-18T22:02:00.000-08:00

The above is a sketch for another piece to be in my gallery show at Chapterhouse here in Philadelphia. The idea originally came up when I was thinking about doing a piece on the economic state of the country, but then reformatted some of the imagery to make it a little less specific.

Sketches

2009-01-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

River baptism

Bone, Hands, Space worker

Pages from new sketchbooks, waiting for approval of another project.

Obama for the Indypendent

2009-01-11T08:31:00.001-08:00

4x6", red pencil and digital

The above is the finish of the project I just posted sketches for below. It was great working with the Indypendent, so hopefully I'll get the chance to do it again.

Obama Sketches for the Indypendent

2009-01-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

These are sketches for an article in the Indypendent, Obama and Executive Power. It's my first piece for them, and I was excited to get such a great article. The main point of the article is that now that Obama has been elected, he has a choice to make in regards to the power of the executive office that was greatly expanded (through various means) by the now out-going administration- whether or not to curtail those advancements or continue what has been widely seen as a gross abuse of office.

Golden Apples, Sketch Redux

2008-12-29T18:26:00.000-08:00

Golden Apples, Sketch 8x14.75"

Sketch for the first piece of my show at Chapterhouse.

Making a Cheap Drawing Board

2008-12-28T15:49:00.000-08:00

Cheap and effective!

When I moved in the beginning of this past summer I got rid of my drafting table. It was difficult to adjust right, took up too much space, and was really not worth keeping around. The downside is that now it's a little awkward drawing tall pieces on my flat desk, and I kinda miss drawing on an inclined surface. And so, I present to you "How to Make a Cheap Drawing Board." For those of you following along at home, the ingredients are:
2 Corks
1 bottom of an IKEA ottoman
Gorilla Glue

Clamp

Measure out what incline you want the board to be, use sandpaper to rough up the
contact points, and clamp down the cork the glued cork accordingly.

Keep kittens away from glue.So far so good! I test both of corks for strength, and it sure seems like they'll hold.Tada! I now have a nice drawing board to make up for my lack of a drafting table

Golden Apples, Sketch

2008-12-25T13:16:00.001-08:00

The above is two version of a sketch for the upcoming show at Chapterhouse. I don't have a lot of time in my schedule to devote to a finish for the gallery show (opening in July, with SM Vidaurri), so I'm trying to do as much prep work as possible in my down times. Just finishing this, I know I want to go darker, but I've included the two versions because I'm debating whether the background should be a painted white, or left more textural. In any case, hope you dig the look of the pieces so far. Here's to a great show.

Oh, and Merry Christmas, everybody.

Keeping Up

2008-12-21T21:38:00.000-08:00

CMYK Magazine

Hello all. I'm the the midst of some projects I don't want to post about just yet, so to keep up some news, I want to post two things that my work recently appeared in: American Illustration 27 and CMYK 42 (wunderkind illustrator Francis Vallejo also appears in this issue, so I'm really happy to be in such good company). I'd been notified of my acceptance a little while ago, but only recently have these been available/printed. So, check'm out!

American Illustration's Website

News & Notes

2008-12-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

I'm in the midst of a long project, so forgive me for the lack of updates. News!

The Grand Small Works Show went very well, and thank you to everyone who came out on First Friday. The work will be on display until the end of the month at the FUEL Collection in Olde City.

I recently did and interview with the people over at the art blog, Sweet Station. You can read it here. Thanks, to everyone at Sweet Station for their interest! Hope I made for a good talk...

Also, I have a gallery show opening in July of next year. It's daunting to create pieces that exist without a context other than their own sake, but it's also very exciting. I feel like it's a return to why I made pictures originally and I'm looking forward to exploring these new waters. Here are two initial sketches. That's all for now. Thanks.

Grand Small Works @ FUEL

2008-11-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

Lunar Moth, Virtue, Grackle, St. George

I got some good news the other day; my submission to the F.U.E.L. Gallery's Grand Small Works Show was accepted. You can see the above pieces as well as a ton of other artists at the opening on December 5th. Here's the full info for the show- hope to see you there:

When: December 5th, 6-9pm

The F.U.E.L. Collection

249 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19106

Phone: 215-592-8400

Fax: 215-592-1280

Winter

2008-11-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

6.3x11", pencil and digital

This is the next piece, Winter, in the Seasons show coordinated by the Autumn Society. There's a clear focus on cool colors, and a night sky with dawn breaking only slightly.

Winter Sketch

2008-11-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hoping to have enough time between projects to work this up to a finish, here's my sketch for a Winter piece. I'm looking forward to getting into the finish and hoping that all 4 will be done for the eventual Autumn Society show sometime in May.

Watchmen Opening and a Sketch

2008-11-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

The Children of the Watchmen show was a great night. The above picture was taken before we opened, so I got a good shot of most of the wall before the crowds came- the show was packed almost the entire time after that. Congrats to the Philadelphia Cartoonists' Society for putting on a more than successful show and thanks to everyone who came out!

Here's a sketch for another Autumn Society project- Dia de los Muertos. I'm starting that aforementioned big project soon so I hope to have all the other personal projects wrapped up soon. Thanks all.

O

2008-11-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

Thank you, America, for choosing hope over fear. You had me worried for a second.

Autumn, le fin

2008-11-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

11.75x16", red pencil and digital

Here's the finish for my contribution to the Autumn Society's themed show, Seasons. Autumn- the first chill breeze, the changing leaves. The sky is something of a dusk setting because really, autumn is the dusk of the year- fading warmth and fading trees, as the cold grows in the air.

I tried a few new things with mark making, texture, and lines, and that's the great thing about the personal work- trying new things that I can bring into my professional pieces. There's talk that we're having a gallery show of all of the themed work that we've done over at the Autumn Society so look for more news about it.

Autumn~ Finished Drawing

2008-10-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

11.75 x 16", red pencil on Arches Hot Press

I mentioned before that The Autumn Society is having a series of themed projects and our current one is Seasons. I chose autumn, and posted a very rough sketch of this piece earlier. After dealing with more commissions and design work I finally was able to settle down and draw out my finished drawing. I'm really pleased with the outcome and hopefully I can finish this piece within the week, because soon enough I'm starting a major project and my time for personal work will all but disappear.

Cathartic

2008-10-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

~4x5", graphite and watercolor

Seasons~ Autumn Sketch

2008-10-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

This is a rough sketch for an upcoming project for the Autumn Society. They're tackling the theme Seasons, and mainly because it's my favorite time of year, I chose Autumn.

It took me a much longer time to think of an idea than I'm used to- due in no small part to some personal questioning. This type of image is one that I'm really enamored with and it boils down a lot of what I like to draw and paint. The real question was whether of not to settle, in a way, with this or to try and stretch out as an artist. It's something that I always come to when formulating a sketch, and on one hand I want to be honest and revel in what I love, but also to grow. Each project is a blend of those two concerns and the balance always tips one way or the other. I don't think I'm alone in being concerned about these things, and maybe I get too cerebral about this type of thing, but in the end I really just need to make as good an image as I can.

For all that's worth, I am anxious to get started because now that I've settled, I think it can be a good piece.

Sendak, le fin

2008-10-16T17:21:00.001-07:00

Here's the final for another private commission. The sketch is below, but to reiterate, the idea we came up with was two children discovering an old mural of a scene from Where the Wild Things are. There's a lot of elements that were really successful from this piece and again, I feel like there were some chances I took that worked out well. Hopefully the client agrees, though I'm pretty sure he will..

Crop of my favorite section

Sendak Commission~ Drawing

2008-10-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

20x16", red pencil on arches 140lb hot press

This is the final drawing for another private commission. I posted the sketch earlier, and the drawing itself was a bit of an experiment. I don't often work this large, just because I prefer smaller pieces for convenience and the more intimate nature of it. The client wanted a larger piece and so the drawing kicked up appropriately. It was an interesting experiment and with another Autumn Society theme brewing, I might work that large again to see if indeed it will work out. Scanning is another issue..

Print Shop!

2008-10-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Just announcing that I just set up an Etsy account to streamline print sales. I am now hip. Check out the storefront!

Branded

2008-10-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Quick post, and it's not work related I have to say, but recently I got a tattoo. It's a linear swirl on my wrist. Simple, one line, there you go. One of the illustrators I work with made the comment that it looks like the S from the Society of Illustrators, backwards, and I thought, "Hey ya, it does."

Yesterday, I burned my wrist on a pan cooking dinner so now I have a nice red line- right next to my tattoo...like the I from the Society logo.

I think it's a sign. That I need to be more careful when I cook.

Little Nemo

2008-10-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

Red pencil and digital, 10 x 14.75"

Here's the final for a private commission, the subject being Little Nemo from the Winsor McCay comic strip from the early 20th century. Obviously, I hope the client likes the piece, but moreover it's something to think about because I tried to do some different things in this piece that I suppose I wouldn't normally do. Drastically colored lines, color a little crazier, and some digital effects I don't use often. We'l see how it goes over..