Around the World In Eighty Days.

Illustration Month just ended. I drew a little bit from Jules' Verne's Around the World in 80 Days.

This is my favorite drawing from the series. Travel by elephant through India, when the rail line is closed for construction. Mr. Fogg is nothing if not resourceful.

Title Page Text.

Some Character Sketches.

In the beginning of the book, the whole world is caught up in his astronomical bet, and it's all that the papers and tabloids can talk about.

Songs & Videos:

Pink Sugar Elephants - Mates of State

World News - Local Natives

Race For the Prize - The Flaming Lips

Illustration Month, Year 2.

January is approaching quickly, which means it's almost time for Illustration Month. Here's the basic idea: Pick a story & draw scenes from it, in a month. I've been really enjoying reading travel novels and anthologies lately, so I'm going to draw scenes from Jules Verne's Around the World In 80 Days. What book (or story) would YOU pick?

Illustration Month's now on Twitter & Facebook. Check it out.

Video:

Come Fly With Me - Frank Sinatra

Illustration Month - Sex, Drugs, & Cocoa Puffs

Illustration Month has just ended. I choose to illustrate, in sketchbook form, the book Sex, Drugs, & Cocoa Puffs, by Chuck Klosterman. I wish the project didn't have a 1-month constriction, I think a lot more could have happened.

Songs (all via YouTube):


It's Still Rock And Roll To Me - Billy Joel

Bang Bang Rock & Roll - We Are Scientists

Old Time Rock And Roll - Bob Seger

Rock & Roll Music - Chuck Berry

Rock and Roll Queen - The Subways

I Dig Rock and Roll Music - Peter, Paul & Mary

Rock N' Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) - Handsome Boy Modeling School

I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) - The Moody Blues

P.S. For More awesome playlists, check out my radio show on CHIRP Thursdays from 9 am-12 noon, Chicago time (that's 10am-1pm for the East Coast).

So This Is The New Year...

Fruit-Lettered Greetings. Good Tidings & Good Eatings. Let's see what the New Year has in store.

Videos/Songs:


The New Year - Death Cab For Cutie

Fruit Machine - The Ting Tings

New Ways of Living - Lavender Diamond (HypeMachine)

P.S. Finished reading, now time for drawing for Illustration Month.

Caricatures and Non-Traditional Portraiture

Does anyone remember a couple of summers back, when the Simpsons Movie was doing a promotion where you could create a Simpsons style character of yourself? Or really, anytime there are celebrities featured on cartoon programs? Or even seeing different styles of animation mashed together?

I love the idea of drawing people I know, not just making up characters. I am used to traditional portraiture, drawing and photographing from observation, but I'm about to try creating caricatures and cartoonizing portraits. My new plan is to draw people I know in a caricatured fashion. Not so much about exaggerated physical features, but with personality traits, interests, (and how I see them).

Leaving you with a fantastic illustrator, Ed Wexler, who has done several drawings for The Hollywood Reporter, and has a pretty exciting portfolio of portraiture.

Songs:

Best Imitation of Myself - Ben Folds

Who Are You? - The Who

Express Yourself - Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (Mocean Worker Remix)

P.S. Illustration Month Starts January 1st!

P.P.S. Thanks to Stereogum/Pitchfork/MTVNews for the image, and Matt Groening for the awesome.)

Illustration Month

I'm starting up Illustration Month. After hearing a friend talk about NaNoWriMo, I was intrigued by the concept, but would much rather illustrate a novel than write one.

From the Blog:

Inspired by NaNoWriMo and the 24-Hour Comic Marathon, Illustration Month runs from January 1st to January 31st, 2010.

The Premise: To illustrate, using the media of your choice, a novel, continuing news story, or any piece of literature in the span of one month.

The Process: You can draw, paint, photograph, print, sculpt, sew, or digitally create your images. Sculpt with clay, draw with ink, flamework with glass, or photograph with a DSLR or a point-and-shoot.

The Presentation: Document your work for yourself and post it on the blog if you’d like to share your images.

I'm really excited about this. Check out the Facebook page, too.

Video:

Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart