here's an image i did for a local contest. the idea behind it was to illustrate a scene from the story "hansel and gretel". i also wanted to play with the idea of foreshadowing, by way of the witch's shadow beside the house and the smoke coming up out of the chimney.
i admit, it's been a while since my last post. immediately after i returned from nyc and the conference, i moved. not two steps to the right, but a full on, "pack up the belongings and hire some movers", kind of move. then it was unpacking and trying to figure out where everything goes and before i even got settled, the antiquarian book fair came upon me.
so my head has been spinning ever since, but everything seems to be settling down and i only occasionally feel woozy.
the ny conference was really nice. interesting to attend a seminar outside of my backyard, here in l.a. but it was fun. heard a lot of good speakers, attended some good workshops and saw some of the sights of the city. because the conference was an all day event, i only really got to look around the city the last two days i was there. i've always had this bias against ny because i'm a west coast guy but i was really taken with the town, nyc, and really came to enjoy and appreciate it. something about it's aura and energy which i found invigorating (or was that just the brisk, cold air...?) it was cold while i was out there. even got to see some different weather patterns. a little rain, some snow. and i learned when someone tells you to bring a cap, they aren't talking about a baseball style cap, they mean something that will cover your ears cause i seriously thought they were going to fall off the side of my head. but it was a blast. i even got a hang for using the subway system. didn't get lost or take the wrong train once by my last day there. one small thing i took pride in...:)
so here i am, back in l.a. and trying to figure out which box i packed all my art brushes in. so in the meantime, i'll share a picture i did before my trip.
i'm headed to the big apple for a children's book conference next weekend.
i've attended the scbwi children's book conference here in l.a. a number of times but this will be my first time attending the nyc event. i'm looking forward to it. though i must say, i haven't been out east in a very long time.
the last time i went to new york, i think i was around 11 or 12. if you ask me what i remember most, you'd think i might say something like the statue of liberty or the empire state building, but no, the thing i remember is my father shouting and cursing and using a lot of unprintable words. he decided that since we were a group of 5, he wanted to rent a car and tool around the city. not sure if that was such a good idea. let's just say that driving in ny has a different..."cadence" than driving out here. not to say it's better or worse, just different. after driving around for a few hours in rough traffic, trying to figure out where he was going as well as getting cut off or cut into by other drivers, he lost his temper, rolled down his window and cursed down the next driver to cut him off. never have i heard such language come out of his mouth up to that point.
it was wild.
i'm hoping i'll have a better time this year than the last time i was out there. one can only hope.
another fun thing i'll be expecting, is to see a friend of mine who hails from illinois. this year's rose bowl game on new year's day showcased her fighting illinis of illinois and my favorite team- the usc trojans. we even had a wager on the game. loser has to wear apparel from the winning school.
ahem, let's just say the game wasn't even that close.
so if anyone who might be reading this and will be attending the scbwi winter conference in ny- look out for a young lady decked out in the colors of cardinal and gold. (the colors of usc) i'm trying to decide if i want to track down one of those greek bronze helmets with the feathered plume for her to wear all day on saturday...
ah, fun times.
so, a very long while ago, i had written postings on a book fair i was working on. I was responsible for the art and designs and the event is now almost upon us. it's coming up on february 15th (thru the 17th) and one can view the street banners of my images around los angeles. it's pretty wild to see them all on display like that. it's a bit of a kick. i've included some pictures i took today. yes, as you can see in the pictures, it's cloudy and grey here in l.a., but i won't complain. for a little while, i'll have artwork stretched out on 8 foot long banners. it's crazy. :)
young medusa returns in a new illustration.
thinking about medusa, here was a gorgon who, later in life, was thought to be a monster and who could turn men to stone at a glance. but i wondered what she was like in her youth. did she have a happy childhood? did she always have the ability to turn people to stone? was she lonely for friends and companionship? did she not get asked out to the school prom because all her potential suitors couldn't look her in the face to ask her out or were just afraid to go there...so, with my youthful medusa, i envision a sad medusa. a freckle-faced, contemplative soul looking for beauty in the world before it all changes and crumbles away.
then, there is that squirrel. unfortunately the squirrel happened onto the scene at the wrong place and at the wrong time. poor guy.
i thought i might add a new "album" of sorts to the right hand column.
i'm not one to go out and sketch a lot. mainly i draw and design when i have a picture i want to create or for a story idea. but now and again, i'll make up stuff to play around with "technique" and character styles.
when i do doodle, i like to channel some of my favorite artists like paul grist and jill thompson (from the world of comics) and egon schiele (the austrian expressionist). i am most taken with their style and hope a little of their approach is expressed in my linework. (i do like those long figures and the body language)
so for the initial batch of sketches, i culled together some bits and pieces and collaged them together. now and then you might see a ghostly impression underneath the drawing. that's because i tend to draw on the back of old sheets of paper. hopefully, nothing of a scandalous nature will show through (ha ha) later on, as i draw something i like, i'll just post it straight away and then add it to the album.
another experimental piece. i'm starting to envision some kind of combination of this look with what i was doing with the lion.
well, he's not sleeping, more like posing.
again, playing with some painting ideas. nothing too radical from what i usually do and yet, pushing on the boundaries of my painting principles.
...or "little red" (as in riding hood. although it looks more like a "hoodie" sweater that she's wearing)
just playing around with some new painting ideas. trying something a tad more "minimalistic".
o.k. so i normally don't like to show my card before i mail them out, but i haven't posted anything in a while so i figure- what the hey.
as you can tell, at least i hope you can see, that i have a thing for penguins. love the little critters. very dapperly dressed in black tie and tail and yet amusing to watch waddling around. they have been the primary object of depiction on all of my christmas cards, now on it's 20th anniversary. (ouch! that long...) in the past i would hunt around for penguins on cards. (really hard to find back in the early 90's. this was, of course, before their recent splash in the public's conscious thanks to some high profile movies) eventually i decided to make my own, thanks, in part, to those blank, white card stock at the local store.
hope you like it. and for those lucky few, check your mail box the second week of december.
