Quelque fois...

It's still winter here. Which means my favorite clothing season, full of scarves, triumphs!

Past Poster Work

A few months back, I worked on a project for the NYU Child Study Center. They requested some line illustrations for a poster campaign that dealt with some serious child psychiatric disorders. It was a fun treat to combine the juvenile quality of the characters with the seriousness of the concept.

ADHD

OCD

Depression

Anorexia

Five Times Around

This is the poster for Shakespeare on the Sound's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's my fifth in a series. They have a new director, so naturally, there is a slightly different look than past years. We'll see if they like this years attempt!

ps) the scan is crap (still no new scanner) and the text is REAL rough. Just placeholders right now!

*AFTER NOTE
Good friend Dan Santat helped me out with this piece by upping the drama digitally. He's totally convinced me I need to up the anti on my computer as a medium. I like his version MUCH better. Thanks Dan!

From Inside The Desk Cave

Today, I dared to delve inside the compartment inside my desk. I have this awesome 50+ year old desk I hocked from my school days that has these great compartments for storage. The only problem, if you slide your work in there, you might not see it again for a few years! Typically when projects are finished, and specs and sketches can be put away, I let the desk monster eat them. Paintings too large to fit in my portfolio boxes are also allocated for this area.

I wanted to scan a few in, as past work, some from the school days:



These were a series of engravings and soft ground printmaking techniques from around 1999 or so? I remember shedding blood on the engraved plates, thanks to a slipped burin.

From time to time I like to do imaginative landscapes with watercolor on gesso. This must have been from a few years back, since I had ZERO recollection of it!

And last but not least, a sad man and a lost girl. Some thing never change. The girl must have been inspired when I first started out, taking trains to New York, feeling confused, in a gross orange cloud of obscurity...?

Thanks for looking! Now I shoved all of it back inside the desk cave to rediscover in another five years. Man, I need a flat file.

KITTENS!

Some days... the stupidest things make you smile.
This little girl is inside my head, which never graduated out of being a seven year old.

COo COo COo!

First you dream it...

Then you see it printed!

I wanted to share this image. It's a recent poster from my colleague Antoine Revoy at Shybird Studios. I apologize from not having a more detailed picture, especially since all of Antoine's work is insanely intricate. I really liked Saint Lawrence College's print campaign, commissioning work from many illustrators. YAY!

Dragons, Take 2

Sorry for the lack of post here. It's been quite fast paced with all of the deadlines. But, things are lightening up slightly, so that makes me happy. It's been a rough winter here, with colder than average temperatures and oodles of snow. I've just caught a glimpse of the grass, it had been two months.

I've finally gotten the dummy in to Abrams for Hush! Little Dragon's sequel. It involved a bit more research, dealing with castle architecture and technology. I still don't understand how spinning wheels work. I even got to see one in the flesh (not working though) and I am still puzzled. Good thing I went to art school!

Pony Projectile

Monsters: 028 kotsertje pony from Volstok Telefunken on Vimeo.
This whole series was shown to me by friend, Dan Santat. They are awesome! It's uncanny that this is actually how I viewed life when I was a child and now.

Watch more at De Monsters.

Sneak Peek: Beastologist

I don't want to spoil how cool this book actually is going to be. I really am so excited while making this artwork, it's like R.L. LaFevers wrote it just for my imagination.

I AM PUMPED. Things being crossed off the list. No way near being anywhere calm, but it's progress! With a potential wedding (don't ask, me and the USCIS are not on speaking terms) in two months, crossing things off is only replaced with ten more items on the list. Which means at some point, I will need some sort of break and a chance to write a new beer review.

Next!

I also just completed another cover, and I normally don't feel this way... but I reeeally liked the way the color palette turned out. I even wiped off the first layer of oil, changing my mind to this warm mauve color. I patted myself on the back... and then had a cider. I've been rewarding myself a bit too well lately. The scan is a bit junky, the inside glass has become streaky over time... thus creating tonal banding on all my images. I am just too cheap to replace it.

MUST
KEEP
WORKING.

No--mo-taro!

A bit of time has passed since finishing Peach Boy (Usborne Publishing) and I've been on full speed with all other projects. I thought I'd show a few images but keep my gabbing to a minimum. Overall, there are about fifty paintings, which I managed to complete in just over three months. A new all time record! I think this will be available throughout the UK this summer. I can't wait to see the full layout!

Alls I have to say is thank god for abc.com, since I rewatched all four seasons of Lost while painting this.

"It's a strange book, but it's good."

Dad, Isaac, Gracie, and Lily were kind enough to feature Hush, Little Dragon on their amazing blog, Bookie Woogie, today. I have never smiled so much in the morning, than after reading this. Best review ever! My favorite moments are when they discover my super secret technique to making scary things seem ok:

Dad: What are some ways that they keep this book from being scary?
Gracie: Because she draws the baby dragon cute. And the mommy dragon has giant eyelashes and a beard. And the king is wearing his underpants in public.

Gracie: She made the three musketeers have tiny little beards and gynormous mustaches. The knights have no noses. And the princess has pink bunny ears.

I am so glad to be laughing! I'm still under heavy deadlines, so my brain needs a holiday! I think Bookie Woogie will be a favorite blog of mine.


An amazing drawing by Gracie of Boni and I meeting the dragons.

Standby

Must keep working...
Sorry for the lapse.

Here's something most have seen, but Sigur Ros has been a constant companion in the studio whilst working. This song reminds me of snow crunching under ones feet, too. Quite fitting for the season!

Lawn Dandruff 2K8

On Monday, December 22nd, one of my favorite holiday events occurred: Lighted Lawn Dandruff Night. It basically consists of Tracey, Sal, Evan, Ann, and I piling into a car, flasks in hand (except for our trusted driver of course), the tripod ready, and this year... snowpants and gloves as our adorned costumes. Sounds stupid right? Nooo way. I really love to see the neighborhoods and the sometimes amazing, sometimes horrid taste in holiday decorations. Here's a compilation of this year's finds. Penguins and teddy bears seemed to be the popular items.

At one moment, in the bowels of Raynham, I spotted a wonderous inflatable penguin. I had to have it. Leaping over a 2 foot snowbank with the tripod, I crunched through the expansive lawn. The snow was hard, but was determined. Spiking the tripod into the snow and then focussing my lens, the family appeared in the windows. Of course, like an insane person... I freaked and ran. Leaping over the 2 foot snow bank onto the street where the 'buru awaited... my legs gave out from the cold temperatures. My knees slammed into the tar, and my body spilled to the ground. But I saved the tripod!! The knees on the other hand... not so good. I am just hoping I didn't hurt my patellar tendon on top of all the other damage in there form previous injuries. It was worth it just to hear everyone yelling "GET UP!!! RUUUNNN!", as a car was approaching me in the middle of the road. The panic level was almost like a T-Rex chasing me though the woods. Good times.

Last but not least... here's the merry party.

This years motto, "Flasks up! Pants Down!" While no one actually took their pants off we saw many risque inflatable animals with no pants. Donald Duck it, you crazy critters!

Happy New Year to all!

First Big Snow!

I like snowstorms. Is it obvious?? Here's some pics!

Design Stars Boulevard in HAND

Awhile back I was featured in Taiwan's DPI great magazine. They have amazing talent showcased in each of their issues and I was thrilled again when they asked me to be in the Design Stars Boulevard, their first ever interview collection. I JUST got the copy of the whole issue the other day and I had to share. WAY EXCITED. Kind of makes me feel a little big legit. I need to get a subscription, and learn how to read Taiwanese.

Korean Cover

I've just started on a cover for a historical chapter book about a Korean girl. It's been really fun to research not only the costume of the Choson (or Joseon) Period but also the customs and ceremonies of that time era. Lasting for approximately five centuries, the Choson period consolidated its absolute rule over the land of Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adopted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when successive invasions by neighboring Japan and Qing China virtually overran the peninsula, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom.

I've also taken an interest in the aristocratic traditional costume of the time as well. The "hanbok" is the traditional Korean dress. It is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means "Korean clothing", hanbok today often refers specifically to Joseon Dynasty-style semi-formal or formal wear that is worn during traditional festivals or celebrations. The women's hanbok consists of a chima meaning a wrap-around skirt and jeogori which refers to a jacket. The ensemble is often called chima jeogori. The men's hanbok is comprised of jeogori and baggy pants called baji. Gwanbok is a Korean general term referring to all business attires of government officers given by government. There were several types of gwanbok according to status, rank, and occasion and they are very specific. Commoners were restricted by law as well as resources to cotton at best. The upper classes wore a variety of colors, though bright colors were generally worn by children and girls and subdued colors by middle-aged men and women. Commoners were restricted by law to everyday clothes of white, but for special occasions they wore dull shades of pale pink, light green, gray, and charcoal. Both males and females wore their hair in a long braid until they were married, at which time the hair was knotted: the man’s in a topknot sangtu (상투) on the top of the head and the woman’s in a ball just above the nape of the neck. Women of high social backgrounds wore wigs. The bigger the better!

I found a great site that helps me understand the layers of this multitude of cloth. Enjoy!

Here's the first few ideas for this cover.

Holiday Crunch

I typically find myself more than overwhelmed around this joyous time of the year. Maybe it's the convergence of publishing deadlines, the end of the school semester, or the impending doom of a new year (which means getting taxes in order!!!), but I am ALWAYS freaking out in December. I think it can be a very good thing, making me avoid and miss holiday parties that have holiday beverages. No need to get crazy up in the egg nog and become the jpg forward of the year!

So, from now until mid January, I will be slaving away like the elves in Santa's workshop. Woah. Maybe I AM an elf in Santa's workshop! Here are a few images from Peach Boy. Ho Ho HO!

Woodland Party

I just finished another greeting card, and it's another oozing with cute piece. Sometimes cute is fun, but when you are stressed and freaking out, those smiling animals seem to be mocking you when painting them. I love Peaceable Kingdom Press, so I was pumped to deliver another card to them.

BACK TO WORK!

Cybils 2008!

Holy cow, I am on the slow bus for sure! This busy fall has left me behind in any and all news. I'm literally drowning in a deep dark ocean of deadlines (I hope to have posts of all the projects soon). BUT I saw that Hush Little Dragon, by Boni Ashburn, was nominated for a Cybils award! How cool! Here's a bit about the awards by Anne Levy:

"We wanted a literary competition that combined the freewheeling democracy of the Internet with the thoughtfulness of a book club. Cybils lets the public nominate books here on our Cybils blog, but then bloggers team up to pick the finalists and winners. The winning books must combine quality and "kid appeal."

It's the third annual celebration, so definitely check it on out. All of the books listed there are pretty darn amazing, and I am honored to be included. Buy books this holiday season! They last forever!