Reversery

So in a hurry was I to get out this week's Illustration Friday entry, I combined my "line" layer in ps with my "sketch" layer. Ooops. I hope it's not noticeable in the final version. Don't think it tiz. Since I was almost two weeks behind (again,) I almost combined the one before (surrender) with this week's "reverse." But, somehow I cam up with a "push-me-pull-you" riding a skateboard. The second sketch
I worked on, I used the new Sharpie brand "liquid pencil." Not sure I like it that much so, far. It smeared the gunky stuff on my hands, and although, it erased even easier than a pencil from my paper, it wasn't so forgiving on my table and hand. Strange. Oh well, another in my huge pen collection.

Dusty Chicken

Because I am a bit behind with my Illo Fridays, I combined the last two themes: "Chicken" and "Dusty." This is the first thing I thought of when imagining of a dusty chicken. Don't know why. I also had to decide on who would be the natural enemy of the chicken, and the raccoon seemed to be the best fit due to his natural "mask." Doesn't look like he'll win this one! Mister Racoon better reach fer tha sky! Thars a NEW sheriff in town!

Deja-Vu View

Hello! and back from Holiday shenanigans! Deja Vu all over again.
Illustration Friday this week is Deja Vu. Illustration Friday this week is Deja Vu.
Did I mention that already? Was working on my sketchbook for the "Sketchbook Project" and integrated the two. That's kind of like Deja Vu isn't it? By the way, Happy New Year to all! Holiday frivolity this year being what it is this time every year, kept me from my blogging duties, but I'm back and better than ever for 2011! So, Happy New Year to all! Holiday frivolity this year being what it is this time every year, kept me from my blogging duties, but I'm back and better than ever for 2011!

Prehistoric

Is that a little man or a big phone? Illustration Friday this Friday -- or should that be last Friday? -- I'm still catching up -- theme is "Prehistoric." Maybe it's the fact that I just got a new mobile phone and am still learning the shortcuts to all the things I could do with my old phone before, much faster,
but the first thing to come to mind was a guy with the old, eighties style less-than-exactly-mobile-mobile phone. Won't be long before there'll be inner ear implants at this rate. "Hello? I'm sorry, no it's not the network, it's my inner ear congestion and post nasal drip that are effecting the call, try calling my other ear, I just took a decongestant. Funny, I just realized this kind of looks like my dad back in the day. I think he even had one of these chunky phones in his car, back when they were still called "car phones." To his credit, he would never be seen using something like that outside the car. I suppose if he ever broke down, he could use the phone as a "chock block" to keep his car from rolling down a hill.

Savour The Moment

"Savour," this week's Illustration Friday theme, made me think of a kid savoring an ice cream cone. Somehow,
it was a rough sketch of a boy, then a girl, then I noticed the shape of the cone could form a "V," so, I added type to what eventually became a little logo or label. Although, this is still a "rough," I would love to take it to a tighter, finished form. I think it could make a great ice cream flavor or brand. "Savour the Flavour!" Yum!, creative freedom!

Happy Turkey Day USA

I know it isn’t officially US Thanksgiving yet,
but, with travel coming up etc. I thought I would go ahead and send pre-turkey day greetings.
Watch out gobblers! Your tan-vanity may get ya cooked!

SSSSSneaky

Sneaky is this week’s Illustration Friday subject. Maybe this idea came to mind having seen countless Tom and Jerry cartoons growing up. I imagine the dog, a few seconds forward will be recoiling with a Homer Simpson sized double take. Dooooh! I’m sure dogs somewhere still eat those big calf bones too! Somewhere, but, not in gourmet dog food advert land.

Sneaky little devil

Better Nate Than Lever so to speak...

Only a week “late!” Did not get to last Friday’s Illustration Friday assignment until today, while working on this week’s “IF.” Sometimes watching my favorite college or pro football team really gets my blood boiling. I think that today, with all of the different camera angles and super super slow mo, it just seems like the viewer can see waaaay better than that elderly ref or official with coke bottle glasses and advanced macular degeneration. Anyways, I guess thats why this image came to mind under the premise of the given subject: “Burning.” Hang onto those peanuts!

Afterwards

Didn’t get around to the Illustration Friday till the day before the next Friday,
but, at least I got to it. The theme this week is “afterwards.” Something tells me that’s not water in that glass.

Ever felt “S p e n t ?”

That's “Ess-Pee-EE-Eun-Tee” for all you fellow Southerners.

That’s DOG tired!

Anyway, Illustration Friday (on a Monday for me this week) posted the theme “spent,” sent in by Misterhow. I’m glad I had the chance to ruminate on this one, because I liked how it turned out. My first thought was something involving a man, shopping with his wife in the middle of the Holiday season. Then, after I completed this instead, I realized that this is probably more spot on. Whereby I am represented by the dog. I digress. More than likely it was a subconscious depiction of how I felt the other day after an early season allergy-sinus-nasal-event-thing. Ugh. Hope ya like it!

Richie Raccoon Illustrated character “cubed!”

Remember, kids, always wear a helmet!

Tim Floyd, over at Palmetto Health Richland, recently uploaded some neat pics to Facebook. They are a new sign for the children’s hospital featuring the affable “Richie” mascot character. Tim is always great to work with and a great guy to boot. It was fun developing the look and feel of Richie and even more fun to see him “living and breathing” on all the applications around the hospital. A fun, well thought out illustration and a great design are always a rewarding combination!

Hello World!

___Blank___Race ...

This week's Illustration Friday topic is "racing" suggested by Traci Maturo. Made me think of an illustration I created a while back for a conference in Baltimore. I guess they have pretty big warf rats in Baltimore, being a port town and all, so, I assume there was a logical tie-in. Anyway, the rat race is an old term, but, I guess we all get caught up in the “race” at some point or another, whether we realize it or not. This rat seems to be enjoying his race as he looks back over his shoulder. Who knows what awaits him ahead?

SpOoKy FrIdAy

This week, the theme for Illustration Friday is “Spooky.” I just happened to be experimenting with my Pogo Sketch stylus from Ten One design this morning, so, I decided to go ahead and use my “experiment” as my illustration for Illustration Friday. Actually, the software “InkLet,” from Ten One, is what allows you to draw with the trackpad on your MacBook Pro.
It does take much getting used to. I have been using Wacom graphics tablets for many many years, so, the hand eye coordination was not the challenge. The challenge is just in getting the settings right and re-learning how to draw with a special kind of input device. You have to toggle the InkLet software on and off using the tilde key (~) to change brush sizes and settings etcetera. The “active area” of the InkLet app sits “on top” of all active software, which is a mental adjustment as well. I like to experiment with various drawing apps for my laptop and found that even though I have Alias Sketchbook Pro, that a little program called “Scribbles” worked just fine in conjunction with InkLet and the Pogo. The interface is über simple and clean, so jumping back and forth between layers, brushes, erasers and the like is quick and efficient. It’s also vector based (even though it doesn’t seem to be or feel like it) so, you are not confined to one size or resolution.
Although I cannot say I used it yet on any “real” client jobs, I can’t see why I necessarily couldn’t. Anyway, this was fun and challenging and I hope it came out SPOOKY.

Transported by Music for Illustration Friday

Interesting synergy today. Right after I scanned my drawing into my computer from my sketchbook to begin coloring it, I opened my web browser, which like many more, automatically opens to Google. See if you see what I am referring to between the character in my image and the google-oid from today.

(Which, btw, is there to celebrate the birthday -- tomorrow -- of John Lennon, who would have been 70) Anyway, the topic was suggested by Christie Beckwith and came with a great quote from John Cage: “Music is a means of rapid transportation.”  I usually try not to take a quote too literally, but, this is what I envisioned anyways. Happy Birthday John John. Continue resting in Peace.

You never know what’s “Beneath” the surface....

Illustration Friday once again, and today’s theme is “Beneath,” submitted by Susan Sorrell Hill. No explanation for this other than I just started drawing and this is what happened. I ended up with two ideas. The first seems to be a commentary of the recent discussion of the nation’s city’s aging, and crumbling infrastructure. The second, (is this setting longing for a bit more tropical summer?) hopefully speaks for itself.