“Haunt” for Illustration Friday

Recognize any of these cast of characters from popular American paranormal/ghost shows? The two from top and bottom are the seasoned ghost shows, while the middle is newer. Still loving “Paper” iPad app. Just updated today with a mixer color area and a much needed color palette where you can save colors. Still love the feel of the ink pen together with the water color brush. Can build up color sketches really fast. Over the last months, I’ve been sketching while watching TV. Ghost and paranormal shows are great for the variety of expressions presented. I hope I’ve captured some of those and still kept the feel loose and spontaneous marks. I think that’s what I like about “Paper.” It forces you to just dive in. Simple, uncluttered interface.
If I don’t dig what I’m working on, I quickly create a new page and move on.
Happy Halloween Yall!

VeriFone info graphic

Some jobs are innately challenging and this super detailed info graphic for VeriFone was certainly no exception. Fortunately, all went well, under the circumstances, and working with Bryan Nixon and Monica Arms at Frederick Swanston was a pleasure. This illustration went thru many alterations and revisions in a very short period of time, which is not surprising for this type of “info packed” illustration, but, everyone involved kept their wits about them, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the final result. Thanks to Bryan and Monica.

Hubbell Heroes comic book style Illustration

As you might tell from these consecutive posts, I have to change gears quite often from project to project. Always keeps things interesting and challenging. That’s how I like it. Going from a highly detailed corporate Info graphic to a comic book style illustration, to a city seal is a perfect example. This particular project for Sage Creative and their client, Hubbell Power Systems, is a good “illustration” (no you-know-what intended) of how my line of work always requires constant education. Not just staying on top of techniques and applications of particular approaches to style, but also constantly learning something new about a company, for instance, and their product line(s.) The variety of products Hubbell manufactures are all around us every day and usually go unnoticed, until the power goes out, or a balloon drifts off course and lands, ouch, in the tangled land of power lines. I’m not sure I could pass a test on specific products they make like bushings, reclosures, transformers, arrestors, enclosures, insulators, or anchors and foundations, but, I sure have a bit more appreciation for what goes into making and maintaining them. This illustration in the style of a comic book was used in an employee team building exercise. The speech balloons are left intentionally blank, to be filled in by team members. Each super hero was created with a specific skill relating to the repair and maintenance of Hubbell products. Thanks to Russell Rivers and Kay-Lynn Czarnecki at Sage Creative Group.

City of Norcross Official Seal

Designing an official city seal can be a challenge. Knowing in advance that it will be used at a size of 1.5 inches square, and embossed, makes for some unique design considerations. Working with Susan Wuerzner, the City Clerk and HR Manager, I believe we met the challenge of combining “official mark,” and decorative, but serious, and functional, to come up with an equitable seal. As you can see from the image containing some of the initial rough sketches, I was striving to explore some variety and break from the traditional circular symmetry. Although the final art ended up being more traditional, and symmetrical, I was pleased with the final result. The cap “N” was suggested by Norcross Mayor, Bucky Johnson, and ties in with a cap N used on signage throughout the city. Thanks to Alan at Külla Publishing / Alpha Graphics in Suwanee, Georgia for the referral.

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Illustration Friday: Sky

Playing around with "Paper" app for the iPad. Always love the loose, ink and watercolor feel you can get. very paired down app, but forces you to go with what you put down, think through your marks, but, at the same time, stay loose, if that makes sense.

“Mirror” for Illustration Friday yall

"Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest... wait! what's that!? a Fly!?, I'll show him!....."

Sometimes you get the fly,
sometimes the fly gets you...