Thanks to everyone who voted for my best illustration of 2011. The response was greater than I anticipated and there was a clear winner with "Finding Hope in an Uncertain Economy" getting nearly half the votes ("Winter" was the runner-up). I agree that this was probably my strongest concept from 2011. But when I worked on it last summer, I was in the process of transitioning to doing most of my shading work digitally with a Wacom tablet. At the time I was very concerned with duplicating all the idiosyncracies of my traditional way of shading with oily stick media on a textured physical surface. This piece accomplishes that, but since then my technique has evolved to take more advantage of the unique opportunities that come from working digitally. In many ways, this is closer to the way I've always wanted the work to look but have been hindered by the limitations of the physical textured surface.

So I decided to go back to this piece and add more depth using the new techniques. I've always been a huge fan of Gary Kelley. I've never met him but he's been a big influence on my work, and I love the shallow "shadowbox" depth he creates in so many of his pastel illustrations. The new methods I'm using enable me to more effectively manipulate depth in a similar way. I also increased the saturation on the "hope" building to make it pop out more, and I made the textures overall a bit more subtle. What do you think of the changes? (you can see the original version here)

Thanks again to everyone who voted, I'll be entering this piece in the Communication Arts Annual Illustration Competition as promised. Wish me luck!

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Tags: Finished Illustration

Finished up the "Summer" Piece. I'm really happy with this one. It was more of a challenge than I was anticipating. I had to try to maintain a certain level of visual consistency while illustrating a season that could be described as the opposite of the first one. So among other things I had to reinterpret the stark but vibrant palette from the "Winter" into something more lush and warm. (You can see the two pieces together here) I think it is pretty successful, can't wait to get started on the other two.

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Tags: childrens, Finished Illustration, Unpublished, Stock

Here's a new sketch I'm working on for the ongoing seasons project. This one, Summer, will go under the earlier Winter Illustration in the final. Each one is designed to work as a standalone piece but also integrate into the set of four.

(Click to enlarge)

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Tags: Sketch, childrens

For a while now I've wanted to participate in Illustration Friday. Each week, a new topic is announced and anyone can submit an illustration on that theme. This past Friday's theme was "Disguise", with a further quote from Margaret Atwood: "Another belief of mine; that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise."

(Click to enlarge)

I went for a somewhat straightforward take on the quote, hoping that the absurdity of a literal interpretation would carry it. I also wanted to contrast the relaxed, confident pose of the clothing shell with a scared, overwhelmed expression. I envisioned it a little moodier, bordering on creepy, but my somewhat cartoonish drawing style works against that. Not sure how successful this one is, what do you think?

The sketch:

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Tags: Illustration Friday, Finished Illustration, Unpublished

So here's the SCAD career fair submission, I'm pleased with the way it turned out. As I was working on the piece, the figure seemed to be strong enough to carry the illustration on it's own, so I began to think about ways to emphasize it and make the background/chrysalis less of a focal point.

One idea I had was to literally make the background into a flat backdrop as if the figure were an actor on a stage. To me this plays up the humorous juxtaposition of the heroic pose with the butterfly wings. In addition it works conceptually as SCAD now has several well-respected major programs in performing arts. So I really tried to push the "actor with theatrical lighting in front of a flat backdrop"/shadowbox look.

And before any of my friends makes fun of my age yes, I know professional artists don't schlep old-school portfolios like this around anymore, I'm using it as a symbol, dangit!

(Click to enlarge)

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Tags: Finished Illustration

Last week SCAD, my Alma Mater posted a call for images to promote their career fair. The requirements were so ridiculously specific that it sounded like an interesting challenge:

"Horizontal images created solely by digital means with a connection to the theme of soaring or rising to new heights... files should be a high-resolution jpeg at 300 dpi at 5″ x 7″ (1,500 x 2,100 pixels"

So last night I started sketching. I've got an image I'm really excited about, it portrays the art school graduate as businessperson entering the workforce. I've based the pose on Hermes/Mercury. But to add some humor I've juxtaposed the heroic pose with giant butterfly wings. He'll be emerging from a chrysalis when I complete the concept. Here is the rough character sketch so far:

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Tags: Sketch