String Theory

I'm working on a series I'm calling 'String Theory' where I explore movement, texture, and pattern. It's a huge departure from my mostly figurative work, but I'm having fun experimenting. This is an ongoing series so I'll post them as I finish.

Recent covers and spots

Here is a sampling of recent covers, full pages and spots for topics such as NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, things not to do over the Holidays, making it 'rain', and haunted 45s.  Thanks goes to Carrie, Maureen, Pete and Dan for the fun jobs.

Hope everyone had a wonderful 2011 and thank you to all the art directors who kept me in business working on what I love! MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEARS to you all and see you in 2012.

Recent covers

LONG TIME NO POST!!!  Here is a collection of recent covers. Thanks Dan, Joel, and Susan!

B/W and color spots

Here is a collection of color and b/w spots I've completed over the last few months. Topics include sports you can play during a hurricane, trunk-or-treating, the AntiChrist, and flash mobs.

Thanks to all the art directors for the great topics!

Three years of the Crime Blotter

I just illustrated the 156th straight week of the Columbia Free Time's Crime Blotter and wanted to say thanks for Dan and Preach for the laughs. Rain, sleet, or snow....holidays or random summer afternoons, each week they emailed me hilarious stories featuring bungling criminals around the Columbia, SC area.

Here's to the three more years of felonious funnies!

Thank you

It's a sad week for me as one of the most fun columns (and influential on my art) has been put on hiatus. The 'Night Watch' column which I've had a part in since my first illustration back in April 2008, will no longer be running in the New Times Broward/Palm Beach. The writer has moved onto greener pastures and there isn't any immediate plans to hire a new one.

To say the Night Watch column influenced my work is an understatement. At least twice a month (sometimes 3-4 times/month), I'd get a creative story on unimaginable topics. One week I'd be drawing superheroes and roller girls drinking martinis. Other weeks, I'm diving into sexual fetishes and smokey dive bars and gallons of liquor. Hopefully my illustrations reflected the descriptive topics and the fun I had creating them.

Thank you Miche, Tara and James. Each week was a hoot and I'm lucky you allowed me to play a part. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the column will be revived in the future!

Here are some of my favorite pieces over the years starting with the first: the roller girls

Night Watch

I'm proud to say I just finished the 120th different 'Night Watch' illustration for Miche Ratto and the New Times Broward/Palm Beach since starting work with them in the summer of 2007. The stories are always hilarious and I'm allowed the freedom to let my imagination wander. You could say it's the perfect job!

Recent topics include bacon flavored martinis, the cleanest urinal EVA and a clothing optional club.

Trail Nerd shirts

For the past six years, I've been working with Ben Holmes and the Kansas City Trail Nerds, a trail running club, on their race shirts, finisher medals, brochures and posters. If you're ever in the Kansas City area and want to experience a fun yet challenging 'dirt only' race, give them a shout!

HAPPY TRAILS and GO NERDS!

Tales of Strange Romance

Hopefully 'Gimpy' as I like to call the main character in the faux comic, 'Tales of Strange Romance', made you chuckle! The faux comic is the cover of this week's SF Weekly's dating issue. Along with the cover, I was asked to illustrate a full page and three spot illustrations.

Andrew, SF Weekly's art director, and I decided on the romance comic theme early in the sketch process and kept the feel of the old comics throughout the illustrations even including halftone patterns and muted colors. You can see a few rounds of sketches on my sketch blog, Inkydoodles (link located at the bottom right of the homepage).

Thanks Andrew and SF Weekly! GOOOOO GIMPY!

FINALLY - a new postcard

I'm wrapping up hand addressing 500 postcards to send to art directors this week!!! It's been much too long between mailers but sometimes it's tough finding the time to print and address postcards between jobs.

They should start arriving in your mail boxes next week and if you'd like to be included on the mailing list, let me know.

As always, become a 'fan' of my Facebook page to stay current on my projects and please check my sketch blog to see the progression from sketches to final on the occasional job. Links to both can be found of the bottom right of my homepage.

HAPPY INKING!

GO GREEN!!!!

Are you a 'Green Warrior'? Dan, at the Columbia Free Times, asked his readers where they fit on the 'green scale' ranging from 'Earth Hater' to 'Eco Warrior'.

In total, there was the cover and spots. THANKS DAN!

Covers, spots, color and black/white - OH MY!

Thanks goes to Christopher, Joel, William and Angela for the fun jobs! Topics range from Duncan Jones, the director and son of David Bowie, to pesticides to angry bloggers.

Vrooom!!! Vrooommmmm!!!

In this month's Automobile magazine, I had the chance to illustrate a topic close to my heart, video games...but specifically, DRIVING video games.

I had to fit multiple images in a long, horizontal format starting with the earliest games, Pole Position, and finishing with the most recent game, Gran Turismo 2010. Can you recognize all eight games depicted?

Jobs like this are what make me excited to sit behind my drawing desk each morning. Thanks Kelly!

Where does the money go?

Thanks goes to Dave and the Flagpole gang for the fun cover topic concerning the flow of money between big music publishing companies, small music venues and bands.

It's always fun to go back 'to your roots' as the Flagpole was the first publication to give me a chance to illustrate spots over a decade ago. It's always a pleasure to help!

Polamalu's hair and other celebrities!

I don't get to do portraits often but always enjoy the challenge of capturing a person's likeness in whatever the situation calls for.

The illustrated celebrities include Troy Polamalu (and his hair), blogger Justine Ezarik, Zachary Quinto (the new Spock), and newly wed couple, Mike Comrie and Hilary Duff.

Thanks for asking me to help, Chuck!

Recent color illustrations

Topics include wannabe kings, rattlesnakes, oxycontin, Donny & Marie Osmond, and roller girls.

Thanks goes to Joel, Brandon, Miles, Heidi, and Denise for the great topics.

black 'n white spots

Topics for recent black and white spots include fraud in the banking system, police corruption, dumb criminals, battlin' DJs, and bowling.

Thanks goes to William, Dan, Preach, Pam and Miche.

Inside Counsel cover

I was asked by Elizabeth at the Inside Counsel magazine to illustrate a cover on the topic of bribery in the world workforce and how to help companies protect themselves from prosecution under anti-corruption laws.

I have the apprehensive businessman unsure about taking bribes (which are sometimes commonplace in other countries to do business). Multiple hands reach to give him currency, but he should be nervous as there's always one snake that could bring the business down.

I did two versions of the cover and let Elizabeth choose which she liked better. The finished version looks great in print.

Pasadena Weekly Rose Bowl Cover

The Horned Frogs vs the Badgers! Action, movement, bright colors, over-the-top mascots, and college football - this could be my favorite topic!

Joel at the Pasadena Weekly asked me for the 2nd year in a row to illustrate their annual Rose Bowl cover with this year's participants being the Texas Christian Horned Frogs vs the Wisconsin Badgers. I honed my inner Jack Davis and depicted the two behemoths battling it out on top of a hill of roses.

Thanks Joel for the great job! And congrats to the TCU Horned Frogs for the victory.

If you'd like to see the process from early sketches to the finished piece, please visit my 'inky sketches' blog (link at bottom, right of page).

Starting 2011 off right with new images!

To wrap up 2010, I'll post the last few spot and full page illustrations with topics ranging from trendy night clubs to oblivious city counsel members to overbearing cops.

Thanks goes to Denise, Miche, Shan, Joel, Sarah, David, Heidi and Susan for allowing me to contribute my inkings!

2010 was another successful year so I want to thank everyone who hired, follows, or maybe most importantly, gives me words on encouragement to keep inking.

Recent covers and spots

Since my last major post, I've completed numerous covers for weeklies with accompanying spots. The topics have ranged from tea party supporters, short story competitions to scary politicians!

Thanks goes to Angela, Maureen, Miles, and Karen!

Long time NO POST!

Howdy! It's been too long since I've put new images on my site, but I've only recently recovered from a total computer failure. My old G5 finally kicked the bucket, but it wasn't a total loss as most of my data was backed up. However I did lose a few files over a 1-month period where I didn't back up my images to disk. On the bright side, I have a fancy new Imac with a HUGE screen and the automatic backup server so it's time to get back with image posting.

Above are images for a Halloween short story competition, another entry for my weekly Night Watch column, a story about shady politicians and a concert poster.

Thanks goes to Pete, Miche, Sarah and Lisa!

FREAKSHOW: C-Ville Weekly's "Best of" issue

Just completed a huge project for the C-Ville Weekly's "Best of" issue. The theme for this year's issue was "FREAKSHOW"! Each category in the issue ("Services", "Retail", "Food & Drink", "Rec & Fitness", etc) had to have a corresponding freak.

For example, the bearded woman illustration was the header for the "Services" category since she owns a barber shop. The siamese twins illustration was the header for the "Entertainment" category since they have their own 2-man band. The sandwich swallower illustration is the header of the "Food & Drink" category.

Along with the illustrations in the issue, I also completed the invitation to their "Best of" party!

Thank you, Bill, for the chance to work on a great project!