Illustration Project: Start to Finish

For this illustration imagine a line going down the middle where there would be a fold, where the spine would bisect the design.

Recently, I was commissioned to to illustrate and design a book cover for an independently published writer. I worked exclusively with her to create a feel that see liked. Here is the process we went through.

First, she gave me a number of photos to look through.
I decided this picture could make a good composition
and exuded the mood she wanted to have.

Second, I gave her sketches of what the cover
would look like as a composition with text. We
came to a conclusion we both agreed on and
proceeded to the illustration phase.

Next, I did a pen illustration of the author. Notice
that I had to draw the feet without a reference.

After the pen drawing was finished I scanned
it and added some texture and color on the
computer. This took a while.

Then I showed the author a proof.

She decided that she did not want her face
to look as cartoonish. We decided to use the
original photo and low-light areas with pen
to keep the illustration consistent. We also
decided to put her lower on the page to leave
more room for the Title text.

She liked this proof a lot.

Finally, I added some design elements. I
created a Title logo and designed other
elements in the same feel.

We were both very happy with the final
realized vision.

No Art This Time: Just the random facts.

So I have been tagged to offer seven random facts about myself. I was tagged by the friendly and talented Yoon See. This may be the first and last time I talk much about myself so listen closely if you have any interest what-so-ever:

1. My nick-name musarter comes from the idea that I create music and art:
I am a musician and art-er. I am a bit embarrassed to admit my infatuation with playing music came from the idea that musicians get all the ladies. I got this idea from this scene from Lost Boys. After seeing this scene I promptly begged my parents to let me lease a saxophone to play in the school band at the tender age of 11. As I grew older I started to write music and enjoy the mental exercise it provided; I loved and still love the vast possibilities in this creative environment. My musical tastes and influences include but are not limited to the following genres: Reggae, Rock (roots, progressive, classic, etc.), Independent, Alternative, Electronic, Classical, Funk, Flamenco, African, Latin, Folk (American and Gypsy), Jazz (in many forms), R&B/soul, Gospel, Hip Hop and the Blues. If I ever record anything I will link it to this blog.

2. I have broken thickest bone in my body:
I broke my heal bone when I was in the forth grade. It was Super Bowl Sunday and all the adults were at a party. A friend and I decided it would be fun to sneak into a neighborhood girl's house to scare her and her friends. To do this we had to climb onto their roof and sneak in through the balcony door. Let's just say there was not much thought put into this scheme of ours as there was no escape plan. Upon retreat from our scare I jumped rather than get caught. I landed squarely on the grass below with the exception of my heal which caught the cement walk-way below.

3. I have broke the largest bone in my body:
I broke my femur bone just like in the picture on the bottom left. I was riding a wave runner and crashed into another wave runner. I am a living testimony to life-preservers: without one I would have drown.

4. I am a Male human from the USA that does not care much for College or Professional Sports:
Maybe it has to do with the trauma mentioned in (2) above. I do think it is entertaining I just have better things to do with my time. One the fondest memories I have took place during a Super Bowl: I was surfing during a great swell, no one was out, just as I was paddling into a large, hallow, wave a dolphin jumped within 10 feet of me and we both caught the wave together. This memory makes me think of all the great things that can pass by unnoticed while we sit in front of monitors and television screens.

5. I am an American that walks to work:
See previous post. There is something to be said about a small commute and being able to see my wife and children at lunch.

6. I am a self-professed coffee snob:
Although I worked at Starbucks for a while, I hardly drank coffee there. Working with that coffee smell drew me in. I learned how to taste coffee working with many connoisseurs. These days I wont drink Starbucks drip coffee and I only use a french press at home. Here is a link to one of my favorite regional coffees.

7. I am only person that lives in Watkinsville, GA. that grew up in Encinitas, CA:
My wife grew up in Carlsbad, CA. which makes her the only person in Watkinsville from Carlsbad, CA. I grew-up in a hippie-town comprised of surfers and immigrants. I left a city that was nothing like the great place I grew-up. We were being called to move somewhere else but we did not know where. A Friend our ours was moving to Athens, GA. and offered to let me stay with them until I found a job, and that is what I did. Let this be a lesson to people that casually make bold offers: I am living proof that sometimes people take-up the most outlandish of offers.


I am tagging some people not so much to see them write a novel, as I did, but to, hopefully,
send some traffic to some terrific blogs:

Andre Gribble
Dani Torrent
Ester Garcia Cortez
Curious Art
Michael Villegas
Austin Madison
Piero Pierini

All these blogs are very inspirational to me.

Obama Nation

So we have a new President. I don't really get why people love this man so much, really more than they should. Don't get me wrong he will probably be a good leader, and I know he has inspired a generation to think anyone can make it to the White House. I just think it is foolish to put so much hope in one person. After all, he is only human.