Waitresses Dig Me!

Chicken Totem of Death

Details of Chicken Totem of Death

Chicken On Stilts

Detail of Chicken On Stilts

I have been drawing in diners and fast food restaurants for years. Me and waitresses get along well. I have dated quite a few and even married a few too. I like it when they call me "Darling" or "Sweetie," and they like watching me draw and the occasional free art work!

I'm drawing at a restaurant lately that has been a round a long time. All the waitresses that wait on me have been there a long time. You can tell that when they started there, all of them use to be really cute. Now they have been there thirty years and are now in there fifty's, and well, you draw your own conclusion.

When did we become our Moms and Dads?

These drawings are ideas for something. I just don't know what. Maybe Chicken Deadly Sin?

Winship House!

Trees Draft 8/21/14 4:24 AM

I used Vicky's old house as a model. One of my favorite houses.

Read Harvey Wood By Randy Campbell Now!

First Page Illustration for Harvey Wood

As funny as it sounds I just realized that Harvey Wood is my first children’s book ~ and being that as it may ~ this book is the one I will learn what to do, and unfortunately , what not to do. I started character studies in April 2005. I’m still working on that nine years later. I am learning how consistency of design, color, and technique holds its way through the whole project. Think I have it.

Developing the world that Harvey lives in has been a real challenge. I have the story already so I know where everything begins and ends. I even have it slated to what goes on each page, but just couldn't put my finger on how it will look. Until about six months ago! I was stuck on the first page; the house in the Cascade Mountains.

I went over and over in my head, for years, what kind of house would Kelsey and McKenna live in? It took me years walking around make-believe forests looking for the right house. I finally stopped and sat down on a magic mushroom somewhere on a well-trodden path in the far reaches of my imagination, when it occurred to me to ask myself "Where would I live?" ~ Well I knew that right away! From then on everything clicked.

I lived in northern California for a year after I got out of college in 1987. It was near my grandpa and all my aunts and uncles and cousins. In fact I worked for one of my uncles. It was a dream come true. My aunt bought my cousin and I tickets to U2 in Oakland, so I needed a date. I thought of this girl named Barbie right away. She was nice. We talked at church a lot. She was pretty, smart, kind and she laughed at my jokes. But what attacked me to her the most was that she agreed to go out with me at all!

I drove to her house and parked my car. What a great house! It had a lot of history. My uncle and cousins talked a lot about it when I got to work on Monday. Over the next year I was there all the time. Hanging out with them shaped who I was for years to come.

I wish I was a stronger writer so that I could tell you more. There was a cool fireplace, french doors, and a huge staircase. Barbie had a lot of brothers and sisters. I think a million people lived in that house! I told you the Vicky story already. She was Barbie's younger sister and she was sitting in the living room of this house the first time I saw her.


...and though that house and all it's people are now only memories,
~ thank goodness some memories last forever.




About the drawing. It still need to be painted but I'm on my way. This project has taken so long we now have to consider formatting for iPads and such.

Still shaky. They put me back on the blue pill this week. It hasn't kicked in yet. It wasn't too bad tonight. So that's a good thing.

Nite!

I Was Dating This One Girl

I was dating this one girl ~ beautiful! I walked out to my truck one night. There was a Mercer Mayer book tucked under the windshield wiper blade. If you asked me which one now I couldn't tell you.  ~ Oh, I could narrow it down. The one that was mine was signed "I love you! ~ Jen"

Sucker punched with a children's book!

However did she find that weakness? It was all over from there ~ All of our kids grew up on Mercer Mayer. I've given you a few covers to peruse. If you want me to wax all philosophical and stuff, I won't. He is sweet and simple and to the point. Just as it should be sometimes. I will say my favorite cover is "Just Lost!"~ Maybe you can relate.

This was the book title; just in case you were still wondering!

The Things You Have To Do For Money

I was asked to do a picture for someone’s boyfriend. Interest was stirred at work from the “Life Drawing” piece. Great for me, but only so-so for my model; most people are having trouble looking her in the eyes now!

The girl that asked me to draw a dragon and some fairies is big and beautiful ~ bubbly and full of life. But there is something you need to know about me. My sister is the one in the family that loves fairies and stuff. Me? Not so much. I think there are far too many of them in this world, and I have no desire to bring anymore in it.

I only took the job because this girl is so cool.

As I sat down planing things out in my head; the dragon was more or less a Komodo dragon with angel wings. I know you’re thinking that’s six different kinds of wrong, but actually it’s me and my laws of...Dude, it’s an imagination ~ don't wast it. :)

...and the fairies are big and beautiful. If I am going to bring more of those pesky things into this world, lets give the laws of gravity and those pretty butterfly wings a run for their money 
~ ‘nuff said!

The real pay off was when I gave her the picture. She turned to her Mom and said with delight, “Mom the Fairies are Fluffy”.

…and that's why I really do what I do!

Enjoy!

Does it matter?

Does it matter? Natural world disappearing from kids books

Books set in nature like "Where The Wild
Things Are" are becoming far less common, according to new research.

Prof. Chris Podeschi discusses his new research finding a sharp decline of nature and animals in children's books.

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From wild animals to jungles and forests, a new study says kids books about nature are becoming a threatened species. Researchers from several universities reviewed nearly 300 award winning children's titles written between 1938 to 2008. Study co-author, Prof. Chris Podeschi of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, told 97.3 KIRO FM they found a troubling trend when comparing books written in the past to the near present.
"Earlier, the books were really sort of more nature centered, the settings chosen, the animals present were just more prominent," Podeschi said.
Books like "Where the Wild Things Are, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Little Red Riding Hood" have given way more and more to urban settings with fewer animals.
"We're just worried that along with grownups, now kids are increasingly isolated from the natural world in their actual experience."
And he said while there are plenty of great books still being written about the natural world, they worry people will ultimately stop caring about nature and animals as they turn increasingly to a technology centered world.
"We urbanize substantially, park visitation is down as a society, we turn to electronic gadgets that are more and more prominent in our lives," he said.
Not exposing kids to nature through books sparked plenty of conversation and disagreement among the Seattle's Morning News crew. Co-host Linda Thomas argues kids get a bum rap, and any reading is good reading.
"I just thought as long kids were reading or parents were reading to kids, you're ahead of the game there. I really think as long as kids are reading, it doesn't matter what they're reading," Thomas said.
Co-host Tom Tangney argues kids get plenty of exposure to nature from other places. He says his nephew's favorite show is "Dinosaur Train," a weekly exploration of natural environments and animals.
"I think there's a real push in all sorts of different platforms. Nature is more popular than ever," Tangney says.
"That's not nature, that's the nature channel...a screen is not the real world," replies co-host Bill Radke.

All Hail The Return Of Harvey Wood!

In the spirit of "You start somethin'; You finish somethin'", ideas are rolling again to get Harvey Wood published. 

~ Stay tuned.

The Internal Sunshine of the Artistic Mind

Pay attention, because there will be a test; Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Do you have to be depressed to paint a sad painting?  Is a story better when it really happened to you? You catch my drift? The pieces above were created the year while my Dad was dieing, and they don't look anywhere near dark and dreary. So I say "No".

I think art is best when you get what you get .

Everyone says that I'm a "happy" painter, something in all my stuff has "internal sunshine". I'm OK  with that, In fact, I'm grateful for it. However, I would like to think if I were sad, I could squeeze a cloudy day out on my canvus. Things as they are. These guys coming through when they did were sheer joy!  They're like my babies! Over the course of a few months, from conception to delivery, it proved to me that art could be theropy, and in spite of a drepressed mood joyful art could come out.

I LOVE ART!

Terri's Cats

I found this old picture of this little girl holding a bunch of cat. There was something magical about it. I just had to draw it!

What you have here are the two steps it took to finish it. It almost drew itself. The watercolor was fun to do, because there were more details to think about. I noticed I have come 180 degrees from “the Brady Bunch on Acid” piece where I had the watercolor exclusively in the background. Now there’s the color as part of the main subject.

I think I'll do that some more.

Trees To Meet You

Have You Heard Of Watercolour Pencils?

I got these watercolor pencils for graduation, just getting around to using them. So far, I like them. Another good turn of events, I've moved near a really cool park ~ full of trees to practice on.

Beth's Trees: Second Draft

Second draft of pages 1 and 2 + last page. Call me.

For Beth: A Work In Progress

Take some notes, call or email me with your thoughts. For me; the trees in front can have fruit on them, The yellow sky is different. That may be a good or a bad thing. The redwood in the back stays pretty much like it is in the draft.

"Greed" ~ Panel No.3

Done! ...so far. I had one of my kids talking to me while I worked on this. "He who must not to be named," played the new Pokemon and put his two cents worth in. I enjoyed that more than working on the piece itself. "Life is about the journey, and not the destination." Someone cooler than me already said that, but it's true.

I need to print these up, and mount them, and turn them in. The sooner I do that, the soon I can start on the Brian Bateman CD cover. He's in Disneyland tonight. I almost said "I wish I were too," but that would be a lie.

Me and "He who must not to be named," did alright right here.

Child's Play

Almost a year ago now, a friend of mine Beth, came to me with this children’s book based on some experiences she had when she was a kid. To hear her tell the story, I thought “How can I not do this?” The plans were set, ideas where talked about, ever some would be layouts were sketched out, unfortunately, just as John Lennon said “Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans”. I moved to Boise to be with the kids, and Beth’s emails started became further and further apart. With this blog, if you don’t mind, I am going to work on the children’s book at the same time giving Beth an opportunity to see here vision develop. I have also, as part of one of my last classes before I graduate, incorporated these drawings into some assignments for credit. Pretty cool hu?!

The process is the same. “Hand to pen, pen to ink, water color to paper, and all of in to the computer”

What you see is the first panel; Inks of pages 1 & 2. Then with the second panel; I’ve added the watercolor. She has seen this and asked for changes. Now you see the third panel. Next step is for her to look it over and get back to me. Art is Fun!

CafePress.com

Here are the first six pieces available on CafePress.com, the link is just right there. We can all talk about it later. This is the kind of project I've always wanted to do. "Thanks to Ian, for in his own way, he got this thing rolling." Thanks to all of you, for your support, and for buying the designs. If you buy something, take a picture of it! Give me a copy and tell me what you thing of cafepress's quality. Cheers!

To Tattoo Or Not To Tattoo

People have come to me lately and asked me to design tattoos for them; which I have, and it reminds me of a story. I was asked by a friend of mind some time ago why I don’t have any tattoos. One reason was I didn’t know what I wanted; the other reason was, if I came up with an idea I would probably come up with more, and then turn myself into a coloring book.

So as soon as I said that ~ there I was with the best idea. In “that is so me” form. I decide I want a sleeve; thousands of dollars, hours of time, and in the end something that I don’t really need. I wanted something that reflected me and my kids, and because I always love Maurice Sendak’s artwork, I wanted his art work. My design has eight characters from “Where the Wild Things Are,” seven monsters to represent the kids and Max to represent me. I had two tattoo artists in mind, but time, and money, and pain being what there are, I have put this design on something a little bit more practical.

I’ve been living in my Mom and Dad’s house again and I’ve reconnected with it. I've taken one of the doors and painted the design on it. This way I can take a piece of the house with me when I go. Mom and Dad are both gone now, and their house will be sold eventually. There are so many memories associated with the house. My sister was six years old when they bought the house in 1956; I was brought home from the hospital to it. Now I've got the hall door, and I'm taking it with me. I'll probably have it for another 50 years.I think that is a better idea then a tattoo.

Here is a picture of the project do far.
Go check out Maurice’s illustrations. He did more than just children’s books.

Georgia Fairy Princess

Tomorrow is Georgia’s birthday! I like making birthday cards, more than I like buying them, and this is hers this year. The image is a borrowed piece from another project. In both instances, it’s still Georgia, my fairy princess. Barely touching the ground, she’s almost floating away. Her snow globe is her only anchor! This pen and ink is taken from the original sketch. Some lines can not be improved a pond, and I didn’t want this one to get away. This rough draft of Georgia is part of a long precession, made up of her brothers and her Dad. In the picture, it’s noticeable that she is the only one that is free of earthly care, and quite ready to be airborne at a moments notice. The rest of the caravan, however, has heavy coats, and heavy objects that keep them earthbound. It’s a great idea. Everyone, eventually, floats and flies, and looses their cares. ~ Happy Birthday Georgia!

The Boys In The Band

The Penguin Quintet:
Written by Don LaRovere
Illustrations by David Street
Arron, Baily, Cooper, Dean, & Edgar. Fun bunch. Kid's dig'em!

Harvey Wood by Randy Campbell

Randy came to me with this story he told his daughters. He asked if I thought I could come up with something. I loved the idea. The project keeps getting side-lined, but that doesn't mean it isn't worthy of the whole world enjoying it. So "Whole World meet Harvey Wood, Harvey meet the Whole World." Make sure you enlarge the image. He's a cute kid, even if I do say so myself.

There once lived a young girl by the name of Sandy. She lived with her parents and her brother in a beautiful white farmhouse, snuggled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Sandy filled her time after school and on weekends reading her favorite books, and painting with water colors. But what she loved to do most was play outside. She especially enjoyed flying the kite that her dad made for her from newspapers and round sticks. Summer was her favorite time of the year. Shorts, t-shirts and bare feet made her feel happy and free.

Long before Sandy was born there was a tree that grew in the forest. It was a very large cedar tree. On the tree were thousands of little splinters. There was one little splinter that was different from all the others. He was different because he dared to dream. His dream was to be the splinter that gets stuck in the finger of a little girl. His name was Harvey. Everyday Harvey did his exercises to be strong. When the time was right he wanted to be the splinter that poked out the furthest so he would stick into the finger of an unsuspecting little girl...

...[ to be continued ]