I’ve moved!

I have moved into my “big-boy” apartment as well as moved my blog to my new website.  Please visit my new blog site: here

Thank you!

“MacCutcheon Scotch Whisky”

Only a few days until the Lost finale!  I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself when it ends.  Well, to help you celebrate I made a MacCutcheon Scotch Whisky label for you to download, print and stick on your favorite whiskey bottle!

Click this link to download

And if you do use the label please feel free to link to pictures of you using it at your Lost party.  Enjoy!

Also, if you are an ABC person please don’t sue me, thanks.

Coffee Shop Hipsters

Sketched these at New Wave Coffee today.  Fun times!  Also submitted this to Illustration Friday “Ahead” …even though its actually several heads… get it?  …with the heads.. and the… oh, nevermind.

Illustration Friday: Subterranean

It’s been a while since I’ve worked in Illustrator. The brush tool in CS4 can really make digital “inking” fun. Just adjust the pressure sensitivity to your liking and you get some really smooth lines with nice variation.

Illustration Friday: “Brave”

Everyone’s favorite island scoundrel: Sawyer. I did a little collage of tropical plants and Sawyer’s letter for the background and painted the portrait with guache. The likeness isn’t perfect but it was a fun experiment.

Push the Button

…Ok. So, I may or may not be a bit obsessed with Lost at the moment. But, there’s so much good material to be inspired by! Anyway, here is take on the old Uncle Sam propaganda poster with our favorite Dharma Initiative spokesperson…

UPDATE 4/22/2010

A fellow Lostie requested a print of this piece so I made it available on Cafe Press!  Only $7.99 for an 11×17 poster.

John Locke vs. the Wild Boar.

I LOVE Lost. The mysteries, the characters, the fandom, the mythology they’ve built up… everything. And, with the final season currently being aired I am fully engrossed in the world that Damon and Carlton have created. I read blogs, listen to podcasts, and I am currently re-watching the entire series with my fiance. While watching the first season, and having seen how far the characters have come since, I really appreciate John Locke and his conflict and was inspired to do this illustration.

As you can see from the sketches, it took me a while to come to the final concept. The original concept would have been much more violent and scary. I wanted to show a John Locke that you never got to see – the moment he kills the boar. Which, I think, would have been a defining moment for first the character of first-season-Locke. But, I struggled with the concept and realized that it was being contrived. I naturally try to infuse a sense of humor into my work and was avoiding that at the start of this project. Once I let my personality out, the drawing flowed much easier. Locke is ultimately a pathetic character and is often scared and frustrated when no one’s looking. I pictured him stalking the boar as a deadly hunter…that is until the boar sees him and then it turns into a Road Runner-esque chase sequence through the jungle… that is the moment I tried to capture.

Keep on Chooglin’

Hello! My apologies for the lack of posting for the past 3 months or so. I have been working many hours at Neat Oh!, a local toy company. I’ve been designing some fun stuff using Lego and Hot Wheels style guides and mocking up lots and lots of packages for trade shows. Surprisingly few exacto blade injuries!

Anyway here is a little illustration I did for my good friend’s CCR tribute band, the Fortunate Sons t-shirt design. It’s a take on the classic R. Crumb “Keep on Truckin” comic.

Ego boost!

This evening I participated in a ChiuStream event and WON! The theme was loneliness. I definitely want to start participating more, the short time frame really forces you to think on your feet.

The Tortoise and the Hare

This project only made it to the color comp stage because the client of my client decided they wanted to use photography instead. The illustration would have been for an annual report of a large company that is in the oil industry. The art director wanted to show the slow and steady nature of the growth of their business using illustration. It would have been fun to complete and do other illustrations for the report but alas…

It is frustrating that illustration is often shafted in favor of photography. Illustration when done right can add levels of sophistication to a message/article/story that photography usually cannot. Not to knock photography, it can be equally powerful and has its place. But, it’s literal nature can limit the depth that it can add to a piece. Especially when dealing with abstract ideas like business, economics and such, illustration can be more effective. A photo of a man working on an oil rig just doesn’t have the depth that a well thought out and executed illustration can bring to the subject.