I did these for the Philadelphia Zoo last year for their Lorax/Orangutan exhibit. I had to combine my style with Dr. Suess' style which was a lot of fun. As you can see by the photos below (no, they're not out of focus), the illustrations were done in multiple layers and converted to 3D to coincide with the Lorax movie. Kids were given 3D glasses to view the exhibit signage in order to learn more about Orangutans and what they can do to protect them. If you ever get a chance go to your local zoo and sit for a good hour to watch the orangutans. I worked at the zoo for many years and would often eat my lunch while watching the primates. They really are fascinating.
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By: Chuck Dillon,
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By: Chuck Dillon,
on 9/18/2012
I'm currently finishing up a big project for the Philadelphia Zoo's new children zoo which should be open next spring. Among many animal illustrations (60 or so) I also have to make American Sign Language signs as shown above. Can anyone guess what is being signed?
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By: Chuck Dillon,
on 6/9/2009
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All images are copyright © The Philadelphia Zoo 2012
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Blog: blog 30 x 30 - Chuck Dillon's blog. (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I just finished an animal illustration marathon for the zoo. I've been running non stop for the past 2 weeks (except for a little break over the weekend). There were sixty five illustrations to do, I think. I can't remember exactly, I'm kind of brain dead. Anyway, here's some snippets. The final art are full bodied animals which will be part of some signage at the Philadelphia Zoo's new Children Zoo opening this coming Spring.
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Blog: blog 30 x 30 - Chuck Dillon's blog. (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I'm currently finishing up a big project for the Philadelphia Zoo's new children zoo which should be open next spring. Among many animal illustrations (60 or so) I also have to make American Sign Language signs as shown above. Can anyone guess what is being signed?
All artwork is Copyright © The Philadelphia Zoo 2012
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Blog: blog 30 x 30 - Chuck Dillon's blog. (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I just finished a big project for the Philadelphia Zoo's spring exhibit, the Trail of the Lorax. In short, the exhibit will teach the importance of conservation in protecting Orangutans. A quote form the press kit:
"In the 'Trail of the Lorax,' a live interactive exhibit at Philadelphia Zoo, Dr. Seuss' cautionary tale of The Lorax becomes a frame through which kids can experience and understand the very real correlation between human enterprise and destruction of animal habitat. The exhibit will focus on a real world similarity to the fictional Bar-ba-loots and Swomee-Swans—the endangered orangutans of Borneo and Sumatra."
The images below are two of the 14 illustrations I completed over the past month or so. Six of the illustrations (not pictured) will be in old school 3D which will require 3D glasses for viewing. I saw some of the finished 3D images and they look really cool. Be sure to visit! More info on the Trail of the Lorax can be found here. The exhibit runs from March 31 to October 31, 2012.
It's been wonderful to work with the zoo again. I feel like it was where I got my first big break into the professional illustration field. Thanks to everyone at the zoo who worked closely with me on this project. I will never forget how to draw orangutans so long as I live. Ha ha!
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I did this back in 2006 for the Philadelphia Zoo's Big Cat Falls exhibit. There was some signage there with some corny kid's jokes in which this one asked, "What kind of ice cream do cats like?" The answer, of course, is "Mice Cream Cones." Laugh hysterically.
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Blog: blog 30 x 30 - Chuck Dillon's blog. (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I illustrated this in 2005 for the Philadelphia Zoo. It is now in the Zoo's Treehouse covering an pretty large old leaky Aquarium. I still have yet to see it up. It measures 6 x 3 feet. Done in pen and ink with Digital coloring.
I miss doing work for the zoo. It was a lot of fun to research and learn about all of God's amazing creations.
The rest of my blog can be read by clicking on the masthead above.
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Blog: blog 30 x 30 - Chuck Dillon's blog. (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I honestly can't remember when I did these strips (2000?). I do remember that they were done for the Zoo's annual report. The idea was that one strip would be at the bottom of each page of the report telling the story of a typical family visiting the zoo. For the most part I was directed as to what to place in each panel, but some of the humor was left up to me. Well, as you can see the strip never went to a finish because some bureaucrat down the line decided it was "inappropriate for the zoo." Thankfully, I was still paid but I was saddened to hear that no one would see this since I had spent so much time on it.
So here it is, in all of its rough-unfinished-misspelled-sloppily-lettered-splendor...
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Great job, Chuck!! - Bill