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nice portrait, mike, well done!

Hi Mike, this is such a great picture of Bearuh! I've missed seeing your work here and hope you feel better really soon!

Amazing work Mike! I adore it!

She looks fantastic! I love her expression and hair! ...and her tiny little mole. Beautiful!

We missed you, Mike :')

Glad to see ya back Mike!! Get to feeling better. Awesome Bearuh illo by the way.

lovely pic. i've also been down with bronchitis for 5 weeks, getting 'cabin fever' now, wish you well.

I LOVEEEE IT! :D I should print this and get it framed :D

awesome! i love this illo so much!

thanks for the super sweet comments btw!!!

This is great! Such a retro feel to it, down to the color choices and bent up corner at the bottom. It's details like those that make your work look so professional! :) ...Love how the ink just missed the lines, too. Golly, do you study retro signs and stuff to get such an authentic feel for this? Wahhh! I wanna learn how!!!

This is great Mike! I remember anticipating "Jack" jumping out at me and no matter how prepared I thought I was, I still jumped a mile!

I love your retro illos! This one is especially nice, with the paper all faded and slightly wrinkled. Very cool!

Great work mike!

Thanks, everyone!

It's weird... this post completely disappeared! I had to go into edit and reload the image.

I haven't been able to view this image for days. And since everyone was commenting on it, I thought you were all playing a joke on me.
NOW I can see it and it is very cool. It reminds me of the Halloween decorations my mom used to hang up every year, circa 1966. Nice job!

I couldn't see it either at first. Very vintage feel. Really well done.

Awesine stuff buddy, reminds me of old flexographic printing. Kinda weird we both had similar ideas, just too me longer to get to color mine, but still awesome stuff!!! Great minds think alike. Heehee.

lol some moment!

this is so great..reminds me the style of the old cartoons of mickey and characters..great catch of the moment!

Thanks, guys! It was fun to do. Fairly easy too - I need to make a tutorial for this kind of thing.

Funny that Jeff and I had the same idea - nearly identical! Ha!

Bearuh asked me how I did the grass and a few others asked about the background. The trees are drawn free hand, separate from the main illo. Then they are painted in PhotoShop with masking and the paint bucket, texture and shading is added with brushes set on multiply, highlights are added with brushes set on lighten, and more shading is added with soft brushes set on multiply. The grass is a PhotoShop brush that I used with several colors, opacity, and sizes. Then I added more texture. You need to be careful using brushes that paint a whole image (like grass blades) so that it doesn't look cheesy.

You pulled it off quite nicely - I would have thought they were drawn freehand as well! I'd have just used acrylics and cleaned up in Photoshop - and taken three times as long doing it. Thanks for sharing!

BEETLEJUICE BEEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE!

(is it gone?????)

grass brushes, eh? ahhh...only in sunny california...time to quit that day job my friend...i'm so not kidding. but YOU'RE not gonna listen to MOI! <| :Y

I made my first attempt at coloring in Photoshop HERE.
It took me 4 and a half hours and it ended up looking like I colored it with marker (my usual medium). I made one more attempt a week or so ago and abandoned it halfway through. So, I am back to plain old markers and a little bit of Photoshop enhancement. I have no patience.
You, my friend, have the patience of JEEEOOOORRRRBBBB!

This is so neat and a refreshing take on 'boo'.

I love this!!!!!! The show of hands is fantastic, and the lighting on their faces is superb!

Wow! That is really cool.
I like it!
:)

You're quick, I gotta tell ya! I'm always amazed when people just do these things and don't need to ponder every step for hours like I do... And then the work looks great as well.

the effects are beautiful, good choice of color!

ILLIO-AHOLIC?

there are worse habits, dude...seriously. um, gopher chucking, truck drivin women chewing tobacco, um, steak ums consumption...need i really go on? her shoes just send me there...her lil tippy toes. :))

this is so cute

wow that so beautiful photo ,
keep it up. a good job

BTW: this image was done with gouache paints on 8x10 bristol paper. The background was done with a sponge (no masking) and a stipple brush. This took about 5 solid hours.

WOW thats amazing I thought it was digital.. 5 hours!!! WOW!!! But well worth it! I bet it will be alot of fun!

this may seem like a dumb question but how different is gouache than acrylics?

Acrylics are plastic, more difficult to mix and blend. Gouache is an opaque watercolor, easy to use but some people find the colors difficult to keep clean. Gouache was used a lot by children's artists and animation designers in the 40s through the 60s which makes it perfect for achieving a retro look.

congratulations mike!

i forgot to say that i had spread the news to all my friends and relatives over there in CA.

Clever! I really like this one. You are so talented!

Wow, this is gorgeous! I love the way the paper seems to be old and worn as well. And the style of the illustration is very retro.

Very well done!

GEEEZ MIKE! I had a feeling you would do REALLY good on this challenge! Do you think you could print me one and sign it for me?? I SOOOOO want this hanging in my office/house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to scream with joy when I saw this!!

I will trade you some ATCs for it!!

Mike, this is so cool! What an awesome ad for this site! =)

ohhhhhh boy! amazing! don't know what to say...it's incredibly stunning!

you are so friggin' clever, i could smack you hard! nice work!

i'm with josh. let's get in line, like in AIRPLANE and just go atch ya - silly little noisy nun! :)

fantastic wizardry, gandalf! :))

(ps - i could hear bear SQUEAL from here...that's pretty freekin far away, too!)

Cool! You're really the retro king!

Oh, thanks, you guys! I'm blushing!

And when Josh said he wanted to smack me... It was so... [sniff] and Froggie... organizing a smack line! Oh... you guys... I love you so! [wipes away tear]

Sure, I'll send you a good copy, Bearuh! :)

What a great ad, if those smacks could make us as clever as you, I'll stand in line. I could use a little cleverness knocked into me.

YAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! Dont forget to sign it! gotta have the famous Mike R Baker sign it!!! That is SO awesome mike..

Yep froggie I bet you could hear me squeal all the way over there! LOL

Hey Mike
Thanks for the welcome. Come on between me and you..you had a strawberry shortcake scratch n sniff didn't you? cool illo by the way. ;)

very good, indeed! With a real retro-feeling...

Now who will ever be able to top this? This definitely gets my vote as weekly winner (if we had a vote!) VERY nice :) (I'm SOOOO jealous...check out my blog; this week's IF is sorta' dedicated to you...well, it's me being JEALOUS of you anyway!) LOVE THIS! Bearuh needs to use this somehow on the site.

Thanks, Tracy! I love your work too. :)

I meant I REALLY want to smack you.

Do you think I doubt you?

Great work, Mike! Bearuh is on cloud nine now that you gonna print for her!

neato cool Mike!!!

This is so cool!
And soooo retro.
Way to go!
:)

WOW! This is ultra cool! :-D

Show Off!

You always have the coolest and cutest ideas!

...and this looks so retro too.

Done! Ya gotta star from me man. I just ran outta time to finish my Open sketch this week, gotta go to a designers conference for work next week, so no submission for me but buddy ya deserve, especially since its in the same freakin town, you gotta be in it. Its a sign. Heehee. Good luck Mike!!!

Thanks, Jeff!!! And good luck and have fun at your conference!

Please vote for me, everyone! The voting extends through next week (until Oct. 18) so you have time, and you can vote for 5 favorites (in case you think mine is only 5th best ;)).

Of course I'll vote for yours! I love your work...will you remember me when you are big and famous? :)

I already did!! Good Luck!

You have my vote! =) Good luck, Mike!

You have my vote too! I love your work and you deserve!!!!

Gosh Mike, this is beautiful and you deserve every vote you get. I'm in.

Good Luck! Has the voting started?

I guess it must have, I'll have to see how.

dddd-uuuhhhh!!!! baker, tsk, tsk. what did you THINK i was gonna vote for? the wonky ones? sheesh!

it's so funny...didn't expect to see other pandy boxes, as i saw yours first. no contest, kid. ")

Thanks, you guys! I love you all!

Mmmmmmm-MWUH!

hey Mike! sure i'll vote for you, i can't but do it...your illo is great! + you are so nice ;)

Hi Mike, you have my vote too ;o)

You know you'll get a spot in that open contest, mike...you are the coolest :)

I am a convicted felon, so I am not eligible to vote.

Thanks everyone! XOXO

Josh, I imagined you in a different institution. :)

I voted for you yesterday Mike! I really hope you win it!!

How cute, how fun! Nice work!

ohhhh myyyy GOSH!!!!!!!!! This is SOOO good!

I love it! such a cute character!
I wanna take him home:P

LOL!!! Omg now I can cuddle with you! This is very cute.

This is hilarious! I've GOT to make one now!

Sorry buddy I like ya but man If I cuddle with ya, then people will talk, and next thing ya know your buying me a ring, and making promises and our whole relationship ends up in the gutter. Love the Paper Mike man, freakin way cool. I need to make a Paper Jeff. Of course he would just keep falling over cause of his big head. Maybe I can make pinhead Jeff, then it would be like BeetleJuice and the head shrinking guy...man I could go on and on and on with this....

So awesome!

Hilarious! I love Paper Mike!...i'm taking him home ; ) he is sooooo cute!

How cute are YOU!!

Heh-heh... thanks for the ego-stroke guys. ;) Yes, I'm cute... well, at least on paper.

C'mon, Jeff. Just one little cuddle?

whee i would smile every time if this was near my desk. how darling

WOW, This's tremendus!!! jeje Paper Mike Rocks!!!!! I need to have Paper Mike !!!! yaya

Holy cow! it's Mike in 3-D! Really nice job. =)

AWESOME! I wanted you soooooooooo much and here I have your paper version!! Kisses XXXX

Ha, ha...oh my god this is so cute and funny!!!Laughed so much with the comments too...Jeff your funny. :o)
Love your glasses and your stance. I keep picturing that you are going for a karate chop anytime. ;o)

Very cool. I'd do one, but JPiC only exists on paper.
**hint, hint**

That's so neat!

This is great! I love it!

What a blockhead! Too cute! I'll bet your little one likes her paper papa!

Real Mike, paper Mike...it's all good. :)

Love the ears!

hehehe..you are cool mike!

Heehe...love the tutu :)

Thanks, Michelle! Are you going to do any ATCs? I'd love to trade with you. Or maybe a postcard?

This weekend I will be completing and sending off ATCs for Daria, Tracy, Pati, and Zime. I still need Tracy's address.

this is lovely...and i know it's for me....i can'r wait to have it!

Your ATCs are terrific, as always!

Oh, this is so cute and colorful! Love it!

i wanna trade, i wanna trade! i'll make you an atc this week or weekend!
that is, if you want to trade with me :D

Awesome Mike! I loooooove everything about it esp. the colors AND expression on their faces! It's like "What the...?!" Great great great!!!

Cool concept. My wife refuses to eat in seafood restaurants in Sea World. She thinks they are serving "show rejects".

Ha! That's rich, Josh! I can see it... a Donald Trump kinda guy running the show - "Nemo! You're fired!" [chop, chop, chop]

lol that's so cruel... but I can't help laughing hehe...

awww dont look fishies!! swim away!!!!

oh that's so wrong, lol. But nice illo!

good idea and lovely mermaid, bravo!

LOL!!!!

Mmmm...wonder what your secret is?!

Hmmm... what could that secret ingredient be.....
Nice job!

Essence of Emeril? =)

lol Her expression is hilarious. Good one, Mike :)

outstanding, mr baker, outstanding - I love the statue's expression!

hehe, her eyes are great!

Wow, busy week, but it was worth it! That's hilarious :) Great one again.

If only she had arms...
imagine the gesture she'd be making!

Another great illustration, my friend!

Once again, I'm blown away by your work! Great job!

Thank you all! I like this image - I think I might do more work on it when I have time.

I gotta say, I have been blown away by the amazingly talented and giving people of Illustration Friday and Monday Artday. "Artists" can be so snobby. But the people here actually love good work and appreciate it, no matter who in the world does it! I always have and wondered why more people didn't... and somehow, here they are! My tribe! This is what being a real artist should be all about - and IS! Yay for YOU! :)

Wonderful and funny, Mike!

Yey Mike!You are truly an artist no matter where you go! Your illo is as always great and full of meanings. Rock on!

i really like it! your illustration friday is hillarious too!

Oh! he is very busy and concentrated artist.
Sometimes the real artist does'nt know about his talent.
Great illo, Mike!
Cata

Oh this is just too funny. I love the shock in Venus's eye. She says: "Who is this man to ignore me?!!!"

wow! AMAZING WORK! I simple love the statue's eyes.. he's I'm so cool expression.. !!!

That has got to be the cutest thing EVERRRRR!!!!!

You are so good; I'm envious! BTW, are you going to embarrass her in front of her friends by speaking with your faux British accent? :) LOL I really love this illustration. She's gonna have fun!

This is so fun! Your tea party sounds so much better than the bowling parties that I'm used to. Ain't nothin' fancy about bowlin' shoes!

Jazz in Space is really beautiful!! I love it, I love it, I love it!

Oh! noooo I would like to have a tea party as well!!!
The little rabbit is so cute! Mike!
Bellissimo!
Cata.

I bet she is excited! This is a really great illustration for an invitation card. Congratulations and good luck for the tea party!

Awesome Mike! Kiss her for me! I love lil' fancy girls! They're so cute! Ur illo's so adorable! I like the way she's closed her eyes, its gesture is gr8 too!
Wish I was invited so I'd bring some presents and maybe my girl character along! She loves tea parties!

That's so cute! She must be thrilled... I's love to see their faces while playing and taking the tea. Awesome mike. :)

This is great! I'm thinking of doing something similar for my son's birthday in August.

He turns 20.

Oh, won't your son just LOVE a pretty princess tea party?! :P

You gotta post Jasmine's picture here later after the birthday, Mike!

sweet as can be! what a wonderful time!

Am I invited? hehehe... I love it, Mike :)

I used to do so and I enjoyed it a lot!

OOO! You created MORE bug heroes! I absolutely LOVE the spiderspider! (You have to be the funniest guy to hang out with!)

Funny bugs!

Cool stickers! I want! I want!

bat bug has a cold? heheh.....

Yeah, well, Batbug isn't the most glamorous superhero.

hehhehe....

Hehe nice sticker, Mike!

Beware - your illustration may give those marketing freaks some ideas - after the tomagochi artificial pets (I don't even know if that's how you write it), why not some mystical petting device, so you don't have to lose time with your real pet? The cat seems to like it though...

Man, if I had a mystical device that could do that I wouldn't waste it on the cat. I'd use it to paint the house, do the dishes, and clean out the garage! :)

Wonderful story and you illustrated the light and feeling so perfectly!

Great story, sometimes nightmare is scary. Great illo, Mike, as always.

Your soul like your illos are plenty of light!
Your art always give me a sense of peace.
Arrivederci,
Cata.

I like the lighting effects a lot..the whole atmosphere is great!

Hmn, sounds like acid reflux? :-)

No kidding, I love the way you wrote this sort of awakening, rebirth, call it whatever but we go through this triggered by either physiological, emotional or mental stimulus and we are better for it.

Brilliant light, brilliant story, brilliant heart!
You deserve a Happy FAther's DAy. :)

mike, mike, mike... Not only do you draw well. But your writing is also pretty amazing. Very nice. :)

Wow Mike. Powerful, touching vision you had there. Sounds like you were listening to your heart :) Excellent illo! Have a wonderful Father's Day!

Well I'ma say it again here: gr8 illo as always; everything about it is perfect. It also holds loads 'n loads of love which is really hard to find these days. XXX

Thanks, everyone. Every piece of art an artist does is a part of their soul. This was a big part and it's not easy baring it to scrutiny. You've all been just as I expected you would - supportive and wonderful. :)

I am reminded of MeatLoaf's "Bat out of Hell"..."And the last thing I see is my heart/Still beating/Still beating/Breaking out of my body/And Flying away/Like a Bat out of Hell"

Nice drawing...
JPiC

very cool Mike. Like the picture and story! Happy father's day!

Beautiful words and experience! Thanks for baring your soul.

Wow, powerful! Love this illo. Hope you have a well-deserved Happy Father's Day...sounds like you will with your family :)

nice! Very charming and offbeat at the same time:) Cant wait to see more!

Aaaaaaahwsome! I like your style. Hey did you know we got 70 Peeps? I should get referals!

nice! Does the skull belong to the ghost? Moaning late at night can be annoying...

Awww... I'd be scared, but I love ur illo ;)

I take back the "flowers and puppies" comment. You drew a dead girl, f'rgoodnessake!

WOw! Lovely illo! I donno what would I do if I was that haunted girl myself, she's brave and let's face it the ghost is also cute! I love love loooooove it!

A darling illo, Mike!

I love the way the girl is unafraid! I wonder what I would do? Love this, it's beautiful!

oh that's great! i love his rainy hair :)
is this photoshop?

I really like this! The expressions on their faces, the dreary, rainy look and the fact that a kid has access to a sword that big!
Sort of reminds me of "The Blue Lagoon", if Christopher Atkins could act.

Gr8 job Mike! As always! I like the expression on the girl's face and love her cat with those small wide open eyes! Well done!

Thanks! :)

Yes, it's PhotoShop. I did the drawing in my sketchbook, scanned it, and painted it in about 4 hours.

it surrre is a shame you don't like textures and layer play. HOLY SMOKES! is it me, or does your background look like an old time BAMBI cell? the ones they used to do on glass sheets? this is awesome, baker. :)

nice flower decals on her jeans, too! :)

GEEZ Mike you always have something cool to post!! Im jealous! I love their expressions and especially the kitty cat!!!

This is my favorite. Too bad you already won. This is my favorite.

Ces saying "this is my favorite" is the best kind of winning, love.

Love the denim cut offs! The background totally does look like an old Disney cartoon. Very nice!

This reminds me of Peter Pan for some reason! Love it!

Cool, Mike! Your illos are always brighten up my day!

So what's in front of them? I'm thinking a dragon or a bigfoot...

Good question, Emila. What's in front of them? I like pictures that leave something to the imagination. :)

The stylist for the amazing Bambi backgounds was the great Tyrus Wong who was born in China in 1910 and is still alive, here in Sunland, California. One of my heros. The stylist for the Peter Pan backgrounds was my all-time hero, Mary Blair. Wonderful you've noticed my influences, my friends!

Scribbler wrote on my blog that he looks like a "modern day Mowgli". I'm always amazed at how insightful you people are. I imagined and Indian or Southeast Asian boy protecting a European girl against some super-natural terror. Scenes of protection have always moved me the most.

Love it!

great job! you did wonderful on the watercolor.. I seriously love those mermaids.. SOOOOO funnnnny!!!! You shuld draw more of them.. they make me laugh so freakin hard!!!

I really like the watercolor! Very prolific.

I love Kali. I find the colors great.

Love the mermaid illustration! I knew before I read your name that it had to be you fighting those mermaids! Are they mad because of the way you drew them? :)

No, they just want to drown me, maybe eat my flesh. You know how mermaids are.

Thanks, Livia! I like Kali too. :) What is it with me and angry women? I should draw Pele next.

I love your watercolor!!! My favorite is the bottom image of a warrior wielding a pencil at the attacking sharp-fanged sea creatures.

Wow! You just set me in the mood for posting :)

WoW you jusat crank out the great art!!!

Very cool!! Was the ride scary? I'm a scaredy cat but how I wish I could be in the mansion!

She looks very cute and not scary at all.I love how you did the bricks and thepennies to contrast and emphasize her size. Only you can make ghosts look lovable.

I LOVE THE HAUNTED MANSION! What a great take on "Join Us". That never even occured to me! Awesome!

We will be visiting the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland in August for Bats Day in the Fun Park. Check it out (http://www.batsday.net). Great illustration!

one of my absolute favourite rides! I have ridden it probably 30 times and it's never enough! Well done, an unexpected pleasure and great idea!!!

I never been on this ride, but doesn't matter...love this just the same.

Great illo as always, Mike! Though I've never been to that ride but I still feel kinda sorry for Leota. It reminds me of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.

Thank you everyone. :)

The ride is scary the first few times (at least, it was when I was a kid), but after that it's more of an institution - one can get pretty geeky for it. The ride doesn't have a plot (or it has many sub-plots) but a lot of fan fiction has been written for it. And yes, Little Leota's story is often much like the Corpse Bride's. You can read about the ride here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haunted_Mansion
and here:
http://www.doombuggies.com/

Bats Day looks awesome, Josh. Maybe I'll see you? My family are annual passholders. :)

My six year old is OBSESSED with this ride! I need to let him see your illustration and comment on it. He watches the WDW "behind the scenes" stuff and even the slightly pitiful Disney movie The Haunted Mansion over and over! It is his absolute favorite ride in the world at Disney World. Could I buy this from you :) ?