The Cave or IF: Deja Vu

Here is a vector illustration I did for fun. The idea of a lazy man taking a load-off being represented by a bear is a concept I have been thinking about for a long time. Working on this was kind of a Deja Vu experience because it brought back feelings I had back when I conceptualized the art. I never actually illustrated it until now. I put a little twist to the original idea by making the bear take back the cave from a man.

I went ahead and posted it to Threadless even the though the composition did not lend itself to a shirt as well as a taller composition might have. Here is a Threadless link if you feel so inclined:

War Games

It has been awhile since I have posted. Here is some new art posted in the Holiday Season's theme of Peace. This was drawn in pen and colored digitally.

Here is a link to it on Threadless:



Tidings of Peace and Joy to all.

IF: Burning

This is for a web magazine I am working for called "Literacyhead." This worksheet was created as elude to the game "Hot and Cold" that kids play. The farther your guess is, from being the correct, the colder you are, and as you get close, with your guess, you start burning up. At least that is how I used to play the game.

New Music Mixes to Check Out

A few posts back I mentioned that I have started creating music mixes on 8tracks. Here are some themed mixes, that I created, that I really like. Check them out if you get a chance.















And here is a Mix that won a Challenge on Threadless. In a blog we were all encouraged to create a Mix for the print warehouse. The theme was to make a Mix using "dead stars." I went the route of having songs about dead stars rather than songs performed by dead stars:

Rodeo at the Dude Ranch & IF: Racing

Here is another design and illustration that I have created for Threadless. I am very excited about because I know so many people who would wear it. It is an homage to one of the greatest movies of all time, The Big Lebowski. Please enjoy responsibly.

Here is a link to Threadless where you can vote if you feel so inlined:



IF: He looks like he could be racing, but it is actually a bucking bronco.

Some Dudical music to listen to:

Another Threadless Submission

Jack Sparrow.

2 ink colors on a sand colored shirt. Please go vote if you get a chance:

According to Charlie: "Less is More."

Here is the latest installment of my comic strip for Litteracyhead.com . The issue with this comic should be live next week. I also did two tools for this same issue. Let me know what you think.

Two Can Dance (or) Toucan Tango

Here is some art I made to submit to Threadless. If it does not print there, I intend to make over-sized prints of this image in the future. I know the phrase is Two to Tango but I could not resist making Toucans dancing; as opposed to having people dancing in Too-toos. Click on the image and make sure to check out nocturnal jungle animals in the background.

If you get a chance, please vote here:

According To Charlie

Recently was asked to create a comic strip for a children's literacy website called Literacyhead.com. I have been doing some graphic design work for them for a couple months and I am happy to be working on this by weekly strip. Please stop by literacyhead and see what they are doing over there.

The Comic Strip is about the adventures of Charlie the Chameleon who always seems be misunderstanding his friends. The first installation introduces his best friend Henrietta the Hedgehog. Let me know what you think.

Music

I have not done many posts that talk about music here on my blog but here is one. I found, through the Treadless community, a cool website called 8tracks. As a participant, you basically make short music mixes that you share via your profile. Since I have always been a bit of a mix-tape junkie this was my opportunity to let that fanaticism flow. If you feel so inclined, check out my profile here.

Here are some mixes that I created:

















I may start posting more mixes in the future. For the time being, I hope you enjoy one or two of these mixes. If you feel so inclined, let me know what you think about a mix or two.

Die Zombie, Die!

Above: Higher Resolution, just click on the image.
Below: Placement.

T-shirt would be printed with 4-color process or however the good folks at Threadless would like to separate it.

So here is a zombie submission for Threadless. It is for the "Comic Loves" competition. It was influenced by the cover of a graphic novel called "Hard Boiled." This a t-shirt version of the a fore mentioned cover done to a zombie theme; I could not find a good link or else I would have included it.

I chose a zombie theme because when I was on a family retreat, called The Lighthouse, I met a man named Larry who was an extra on "The Walking Dead." Larry is the father of an amazing boy named Jared who befriended my son at the retreat. A zombified Larry picture is featured on the walk-on add section on the official website. "The Walking Dead" is based on a long running comic that goes by the same name. This one is for Larry, Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Frank Miller and Geof Darrow.

If you get a chance please check out and/or support The Lighthouse; see link above. It is an amazing organization that provides refuge and light for families of Cancer Survivors.

Link to vote on Threadless:

Row Bot

Here is a pun design that I have working on very slowly. I have had some other projects that have been consuming my extra time that I will detail later.

This Row Bot is idly enjoying a sunrise, or a sunset, on a lake. I have included some process images below.

Row Bot (8 x10) vector graphics.

The first vector version had a smaller sun with tighter line width, submerged boat and row elements, and a slightly different tree line. When I showed this art to some people they mentioned an adversity to the purple so I went with maroon in the final version.

Here is the original sketch and inked drawing. Initially, I had a swirly water affect which I really liked. When I imported it into the computer I decided I wanted to play with the lighting to add dimension. The light direction did not lend itself well to the swirls because the shadow cut across most of it. Instead I played with the random, yet mathematically repetitive, nature of water and shadow play; as seen in the previous two vector versions.

If you feel so inclined please visit and vote Threadless:

ChaDes: Guilty Insomniac

Ballpoint and Sharpie Pen, 4 x6 inches.

A last minute entry for the challenge. I toyed around with idea of a crazed insomniac roaming the streets with a knife. But then I decided to make it more psychological by entering the lunatic's mind and asking "what have I done." There must be a blend between reality and imagination when the mind never rests, an uncertainty of all things; I was trying to play off of that.

No pencil or erasing here. Sometimes it can be liberating to draw a drawing for drawings sake, to be loose and not so intentional.

Brain Bath

Brain Bath 10 x 11, Pen & Ink and Digital Color. 2010.

A request was made, at my work, to create a brain taking bath. It was done to illustrate how our brains take a chemical bath when they get stressed, which is a good survival mechanism in the short-term.

The Triumphant Return (Star Gazing)

Imagine star gazing and seeing these guys. When their Galactic conquest for tasty resources came to it's conclusion, the royalty of Earth's food chain returned to reclaim there title.

16x24 Pen & Ink, digital texture, and vector graphics.



Voting has ended

The Bounty Hunters that did not make the cut.

Rejected Bounty Hunters: 11 x 8 inches, Graphite, Pen, and Digital texture.

Finally and triumphantly, I complete another ChaDes Challenge. It has been along time but I think I made up for it in effort.

The Challenge was to design characters that were rejected by the Galactic Empire to be hired as Bounty Hunters. See the challenge here.

I found these characters to be some of these least threatening and goofy characters in the entire Star Wars Universe.

Thanks for stopping and, if you get a chance, please tell me what you think.

IF: Fearless

Updated image 5/13/2010: Now I need a background. I may mess with the wolf's tail to make the tail between the legs more obvious. Click on the image to see more armor and hair detail.

This is a drawing I was working on about a year ago that I never finished (please click on the image to see details). It is a supposed to be a metaphor, or symbolic, for wearing the armor of God and the attitude we should have facing our enemy. When my son got sick, last May, my attitude was adjusted and it took me a longtime to feel anywhere near this strong; maybe that is why I have taken so long to return to this drawing. I always liked it and hopefully I will be able to finish it soon.

14 x 9 inches, graphite and pen on watercolor paper.

Walk to Work: 2010

A couple years ago I created a post about my commute to work, here. This is my new updated version for 2010. You will notice some differences from the previous version. I recently created a new trail through some bamboo to make my walk even shorter. The previous version was also created during Fall and this version is set in Spring. I hope this version makes sense and that you enjoy it.

This is where I walk out my garage and walk to my neighbors fence.

I cut across a little bit of my neighbors yard to get to the drive-way of the next house over.

This is one of the houses at the end of my cul-de-sac. My neighbors graciously let me go through their yard to cut across to public land.

This is where I cut from the neighbor's yard to an easement.

Starting down the "deer trail" down to the stream bed.

Recently a storm knocked down a rotten tree that cut across my path. I had to start stepping or jumping over this tree. Being He-man I attempted to lift the tree a bit to make my movement easier; actually the huge rotten stump was relatively lite considering it's size. It is now even easier to get to the stream bed below.

This is where I have to cross the stream bed. Sometimes it's easy to cross but other times, such as after a big rain storm, it can be difficult to cross.

I also want to point out "The Monkey tree." It is a Magnolia tree that is more than 100 feet tall and looks to be one of the greatest climbing trees of all time. Note to self: climb The Monkey Tree soon.

"The Monkey Tree."


Here is the way out of the stream bed.

This is a 200 yard stretch behind the local 4-H building.

At the end of this path I veer a bit to the left.

Here is another stretch, about 150 yards, across a nice lawn. I got permission from the property owner to cross this business's' property.

Here I veer to the right to embark on my new trail.

I must walk between these two bamboo shoots to avoid some Poison Ivy.

Here I must cross a rotten, felled, tree across a 5 foot deep stream bed. I step on one end of the log, hold a bamboo shoot for balance, and jump to the other end of the log. I do not want to find out how rotten the log is by stepping in the middle. After this I enter a thick bamboo forest.

This a little turn in the forest.

This is where I have to jump or straddle over a log.

Most of this trail is fairly natural. It was caused by falling trees and, probably, animal trails. This is the section I really had to hack through to make this trail work.

This is where I exit the bamboo forest and enter a new property. I have asked and gotten permission to cross this yard too.

When I come across this corner I can see my place of employment about a 100 yards away.

This is where I enter to start my work day.

I appreciate all the people along the way who have let me cross their yards in order to give me such a wonderful commute to work. This has to be one of the most pleasant commutes in the country. Let me know what you think.