Illustration Friday - Hoard

Elliot had tendencies to hoard the best creatures he could find in his own bedroom, the safest place on earth. He would keep them happy with alarmingly intense stories about the elusive "Mr. Dunisky" who was known to steal bad students for mad scientific experiments in an underground lab across from the school.

* I plan to paint this sketch later this year, pending a break from my other illustration interests.

Extraordinary Project

Want to be inspired?...

Photographer Jamie Livingston, took a polariod photograph every day for 18 years up until the day that he died. You can see the photographs (numbering over 6,000) on this website or learn more by listening to a taped version of the radio interview (where I found out about this person). I admire people who are able to do something creative everyday. I'd like to say I sketch each day but this is clearly not so. A heart wrenching and fascinating website that any creative or curious individual should see...

Here is a rather small sample of my favorite photographs:

Back in the 70's...
Ahem... the day I was born!



You can see the author of the project to the left near his collection of photo's (still in the 70's)


I love the silly pictures. Don't you just wonder what is going on here?

In the hospital due to cancer.


His wedding, mere weeks before his death.

Creatures All

If any of you recall the Paws & Claws Gala painting that I completed of Barnes, the shelter cat, you may notice that he's featured on the front cover of Creatures All, a magazine about animals. I'm rather happy that they've chosen to do such a bright border for the painting. I'll be running a series of advertisements in the magazine this year as an experiment to market my work locally. I'll let you know how this goes.

Original Sketches to sell outdoors

I have something special to offer patrons of the Edmonton down town market this Saturday: three original sketches drawn on 7.5 x 10" illustration board. If they don't sell I'll be putting them in my etsy store. Visit 104th street just off of Jasper Ave from 9 am to 3 pm to see them. I'll be sharing my spot with good friends Sarah Jackson (creator of the Jam children's book series) and Miss Dishy (illustrator & crafter).

Angelic Service © 2008

Night Out © 2008

Zombie Wave © 2008

Illustrators Designing a World

The most rewarding clients have full and complete faith in an illustrators abilities, are able to give constructive feedback and provide enough work to give you something resembling a full time employee's paycheck. These come by once in a blue moon. I'm very fortunate to be working with one right now. The project, which is still confidential at this point, is by far the biggest project I've ever worked on and as I have a great deal of creative control I'm elated as well as nervous. The project is currently in early stages: character and culture design (and the style I'm working on is nothing like you've seen me do before).

Designing a culture is a fascinating process. How do the people dress? What do they eat? What is their climate like, why do they wear their hair the way they do? Do they wear jewelry (if so what does it look like, how does it react to light, what is it shaped like?). I'm imagining the excitement I'm feeling is akin to the likes of George Lucas when he started planning out Star Wars. And not to leave you hanging, but the deadline on the project has now been extended to October so I may not be able to show you a single pencil stroke until next year when it's "unveiled"...