Astronaut #5

I've been reading books about the Royal Geographical Society lately. This guy is a David Livingstone/Percy Fawcett type. I really like the porter.

Astronaut #4

Again, this one started with a giant shape, with the concept for the details added later. I really like the texture on the suit, and the movement. He's my favorite so far.

Astronaut #3

This one was started with a very bold shape, which worked out well, but I don't like the lack of movement.

Astronaut #2

The "astronaut" series quickly turned into "Astronauts and Aliens" with my second drawing. But he/she/it could be an astronaut too, right? Markers and colored pencil.

Astronaut #1

It seems that most of my drawing is geared toward stuff that gets published, and I don't really ever have time to draw for myself. That being said, I've actually been finding a bit of time lately, and have started doing a series of Astronauts. I'd like to do 50 of them, as a lesson in creativity and idea-generation. However, I don't think that I'll be too hard on myslef if I don't do that many. Either way, I'm having fun trying out new materials and trying to work more freely. This is done with markers and colored pencil.

Space Whale!

This is the image that actually got me my first book illustration job in 1995. While I don't think it's the best of the bunch, the art directors were looking for someone who could illustrate a book about the space shuttle, and bring a bit of humor to it. Somehow they saw my work as being appropriate for their book, which had many elements of non-fiction. I remember that day vividly. At the time I had never even had a full color drawing published, and here I was being asked to do a 40 page picture book.



The book, "Floating Home" was written by David Getz, and publsihed in 1997 by Henry Holt. It is still in print.

My Dog Jack is Done

While I'm sure there will be changes, because there are always changes, I've completed the drawings for My Dog Jack is Fat, written by Eve Bunting. It will be published in 2011.

Squid and treasure

Here's a good one, dramatic and immediate. When I look at this one I instantly feel that it's part of a story, and not just a nice drawing. I'm amused at how crooked my boarders were in 1995, but I like them.

White Alligator

Here's an image that works well for a portfolio. It immediatly gives the viewer a character, and a situation. This was inspired by some real albino alligators that I had heard about back in 1995. I imagined what it would be like for the poor guy the first time he figures out that he doesn't look like everyone else.

Look what I found!

One of my favorite's from my 1995 portfolio. Simple, funny, clear. I really like this little girl, and she's just so pleased with herself. If they could all be this pure.

Nice costume, but...

He's a drawing that, while I like it, is a total failure as a portfolio piece. It's a nice character design, but that's about it. There's no hint of a story or a struggle, and, while the gesture works, it seems to be very static, conveying no movement at all. Eh...can't win them all.

What are you looking at?

More from my 1995 portfolio. Originally, I wanted this to look as if he was hiding behind the mailbox, and peeking out a bit. However, it ended up looking as if he was trying to blend in with the mailbox and not be noticed. I liked either one, but felt I should have been more in control of the image.

You've got something on your face...

Here's another from my 1995 illustration portfolio. One thing I like to think about when I create an image, is to wonder what part of the story it's from. Is this the beginning of a story, the middle, or the end? Who nose? Get it?

Sinking Ship

Here's an image from my old illustration portfolio. I am going to be posting all of the work that I showed to publishers when I first began to look for illustration work in 1995. I hadn't seen these in a while, and I'm really stuck at how bold and simple they are. If I remember correctly, they were drawn with a grease pencil on heavy watercolor paper. These drawings were all from ideas that I created myself, my goal being that they would seem as if they were pulled from dramatic, exciting books.

Looking out the window

This one was drawn one summer night while the family was eating a relaxed dinner. I remember the boys leaving the table and returning a few times while waiting for something to cool down. I don't do enough life drawing, but I really enjoy it when I get the chance. I know it's a bit ironic, but I can't wait for Grad School (Visual Arts Education) to be done in May so that I will have more time to make art.