I love doing big, busy spreads with a lot of activity going on. This one was for Cricket magazine. See if you can find the sports-related “wrongs” in this illustration.

(c) Cricket Magazine/Carus

The Blue Sky Folder

Deep in the archives of my computer there is a small beacon of light that shines brightly through the darkness. It’s called the Blue Sky Folder. Inside is a collection of sketches, experiments, new styles, new techniques, story concepts and a bunch of projects in various stages of completion. This folder is basically a resting place for all the ideas that rattle around inside my head long enough for me to get them down on paper or into various stages of digital completion. Like many other artists I’m always restless to try new things and this is my outlet. 

This is a Blue Sky piece I began almost 3 years ago. I wasn’t quite sure where I was headed with it at the time so I put it in hold to work on other things. I had totally forgotten about it until I was leafing through the the folder recently and it caught my eye. One of the main reasons I had put this one on hold was that the techniques I’d used to create it were very time consuming and a bit unrefined. Looking at the piece again I realized that the solution was sitting right in front of me. I didn’t have my Cintiq tablet when I started so any digital freehand drawing was pretty much out of the question? As I popped the file up on my screen I realized that was no longer an obstacle. It only took me a few hours to finish the piece and I’m psyched because now I finally have a great way to save time and paint right on the computer.

The post The Blue Sky Folder appeared first on Illustration.

.

This idiom only works for those who have never met Finola Dorsal. She, unlike many of her species, may not need, but prefers a bicycle to other means of transportation.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

So, upon hearing of this week’s Illustration Friday theme, “bicycle”, who could help but think of a fish riding a bike. Who I ask you?

Aaron Kuehn’s Bicycle Typogram print would look swellegant on my wall.

The sketch, below:

The above is a case where anything can become a story, I guess. It’s just a quickly done cartoon version of my yesterday evening. And, yes, I was wearing hot pink shorts. They are too comfortable to be worried about how they look. And I have no idea how to draw a hazy horizon, but I tried to capture the moment.

This was an experiment in trying something so completely different than what I usually do, it doesn't even look like 'me'. Its 16 x 20 inches, and acrylic on canvas. I used a clunky brush and didn't even try to make the bicycle look right. I hung it in a local shop, and it sold, so is now hanging on some kids' wall, which makes me happy.

Here's a recent study that I did in Painter. The drawing is a scanned pencil sketch, and all of the color is done in Painter. For the subject, I got the idea from my sister-in-law (who is not a little kid anymore, by the way): she opens up her backpack and tells her dachshund that it's time to go for a ride. He'll jump into the bag, she puts it on, and off they go on their journey!

A couple of bicycle images from a job I did for NHK Television (the Japanese National TV Station) a few years ago. I did a series of large spreads which the camera would pan across, and smaller spots which were inter-cut with puppet animation scenes to illustrate the well-loved French picture-book story Anatole, The story of a Paris mouse who's gourmet nose and genius at selecting cheeses saves

This is the cover image of the Spring story in the picture book series I am working on. I had to create a tandem for the rabbit siblings. 'Breezy Bunnies' isn't yet published.

Here are 2 images from Mrs. Peachtree's Bicycle by Erica Silverman, which has a bicycle on almost every page... Read the rest of this post

 This piece was done in my digital pastel style.

Happy February! I hope we have some bicycle riding weather soon. In the meantime here's an illustration for Little Laura's Recycle Cycle, a project being shopped around for a good home.

The winner for the "Bicycle" challenge is:

Deborah Mori!

Congratulations to Deborah Mori (Life Without Novacaine). I chose Deborah's "Monday Artday Bicycle" as the winner for the Bicycle challenge. A simple illustration with charming detail, a fun narrative, a great character - great design and color.

You all made this one very difficult. Some amazing bicycle artwork! I love the inspiration that Monday Artday gives me but Mondays are difficult when it comes down to choosing. I've written this before but I want to repeat it: The quality of art and the wonderful artists here at Monday Artday constantly amaze me. You are all terrific and inspiring and the reason why this blog is so popular. It's always the hardest thing I do all week to pick a winner. Keep 'em coming, artists!

 Subscribe in a reader

Wanted to post something new on this topic, but I guess this will have to do. Something I did a while back.

 Subscribe in a reader

Thanks to this challenge I have the song going over and over in my head, "I want to ride my bicycle..."

Anyhow, here's my version, both as a simple and fancy silhouette.

 Subscribe in a reader

I don't believe in Peter Pan, Frankenstein or Superman

 Subscribe in a reader