Illustration Friday - Portrait

I'm a big believer in getting good reference for my illustrations. The best kind of model reference is usually myself because I'm free and available at any point in time, especailly at 2 AM. Instead of just showing a self portrait for Illustration Friday's Portrait entry, I'd like to show you some instances where I have used myself as reference material for my illustrations over the years. I have had the pleasure of becoming Joseph from the Bible, Prodigal Son, policeman, Army soldier, trucker, black guy, IT Guy, and lots of business corporate types. Also included is my self-portrait from 1996, and old logo, and a photo of me with longish hair. Click the picture to see a larger image of it with clickable links to the whole illustration.

Illustration Friday - Cake

This was an editorial piece I did back in 1993. The topic I had to illustrate was an article on taught racism. When parent teach there children to be a racist. As we all know racism is something you learn from others especially parents. I have a daughter about this age now and I see that everyday she is color blind and that's truly wonderful. Very few parents teach racism, but they do it in their actions and as we know kids pay much more attention to your actions than words. As for the illustration it's done with oil washes and prismacolor. Please comment.

Illustration Friday - Devils & Angels

Orginally done a separate images I combined them for this Illustration Friday's entry. Still kind of a work in progress. I wanted to meld the two images together seemlesslyfor some reason I'm trying to figure out. Why do you think they should be together or even in separate frames?

Is Illustration Dead? NO!!!

I don't want this blog to become a link place for other articles, but from time to time I come across something that speaks to the core of my beliefs as a fulltime illustrator. This is a great and honest interview by world reknowned Art Director/Designer Steven Heller with the creator of 3x3 Magazine, Charles Hively. Even though I have not bought a single isssue myself I love it and intend to at least promote it's much needed presence in today's market to further the cause of art director's using more illustrations over photography. So please read this wonderful interview that gives hope to all up and coming illustrators and ones that have seen the way the market has changed the demand for illustration. I believe illustration in advertising and other markets WILL continue to get more and more accepted due to 3x3 and many other ways.

Illustration Friday - Robot

This was for a Village Voice cover for week of 7-28-03. Inside the Movement for Post-human Rights, Cyborg Liberation Front

Based on the famous ink drawing by DaVinci, Vitruvian Man. I actually drew and completely recreated the DaVinci drawing instead of using a scan of it. From the first call to final FTP delivery was 4 days. I did do much else during that time except eat and sleep. I used this as a postcard promo so that's why my logo and # is on it.

Detail of robot foot.