My aunt is getting married this fall and she and her boyfriend fiancé have enlisted my help for the print materials. Save the dates, invites, etc...it's very fun and exciting, but a bit nerve-racking too. On Friday I picked up the save the dates from the printer, so there's one thing off the list! I won't divulge much about the materials themselves until everything is complete, but the theme they're going with is sort of scouts meets state park...which I think is what lead to the above illustration. It's not anything for the wedding, just the product of a lot of research and image seeking. But who knows...maybe it'll lead to something else.

Happy Monday. Stay tuned for another print addition to the shop later today or tomorrow!

Happy Friday! I think I'm a bit late--everyone has probably already shut down their computers and headed off for another summer weekend, but I have three new prints to share starting with one of New York's most interesting people. I'm posting them one at a time, but they're all based on illustrations I've recently done.

I'm trying a new printer and let me tell you: the quality is incredible. I'm super pleased. Being that most of my work is finished digitally (something I'm trying to amend), it's really amazing to have a tangible piece before me. A bit encouraging, in fact. Although this is a grayscale illo, I had it printed 'full color' which results in a slightly warmer, deeper finish.

Pick up one in the shop!

Another interesting person. You never know who you'll run into in the city.

I try not to drink a lot of soda for all of the obvious reasons, but I have one weakness: Coca-Cola. Not diet Coke or Coke Zero or–cringe–Cherry Coke, but the classic, red-clad bottle of chemically engineered goodness. Some people want a glass of wine or a beer after a hard day; I just want a cold glass of Coke. But even the classic version has its variations, namely imported Mexican Coke and kosher Coke. The variant: sugar, in place of high fructose corn syrup. Some like it for the taste, others think that sugar is less harmful than HFCS, but whatever the case, there are die-hard fans that search it out. Which brings me to the incredibly awesome Brent Couchman and Luke Bott who have just started a Flickr group entitled 'Mexican Coke Art' for all of those who wish to express their love of imported Mexican Coke! Of course I had to join in! This is my little homage to king of sodas, Coca-Cola.

p.s. be sure to visit Brent and Luke's websites–they're pretty incredible illustrator/designers.

If you haven't already, you should definitely pay a visit to Pikaland, Amy Ng's blog, or 'the land of bright, lovely, happy things.' It features artists and illustrators that Amy has stumbled upon in some way or another and also initiates projects to help connect illustrators with their audience, as well as with one another.

Amy featured me back in April after I released my Run Cowboy print and soon thereafter invited me to participate in the Spring 2010 Pika Package (much to my delight). The package is available in three sizes; 4, 8, or 12 items, and is sort of a grab-bag of illustrated goodness (prints, postcards, buttons, stickers, etc) from illustrators around the world. In addition to getting some really great work, $2 of each sale is donated to the Gulf Restoration Network to help clean up the Gulf of Mexico. To learn more about the artists in this edition of the Pika Package, check out the zine online or download a pdf.

Here he is, tiger on the march, aspiring to join Colonel Windpipe's Musical Bridage! I want to name him Francis or Oliver. Something regal yet friendly sounding. Any suggestions?

While doing this was really fun, it was also a bit frustrating. I was in marching band for three years (I even became an officer by my senior year of high school) as well as jazz band, orchestra, dixie band...what I'm trying to say is that music and band are close to my heart and I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the.best.piece.ever. In the end, I had to loosen up and let go. Perhaps it's not my finest piece to date, but I think it's sweet and fun and a great experiment in a bolder style (well suited for children's books perhaps?). Other attempts included a trombone playing rhino and a jingle bell wielding worm (who I might still do...). And what's my instrument of choice? Trombone! I love low brass!

Lesley Barnes and uberkraaft always seem to be up to something magical and wonderful, with Colonel Windpipe's Musical Brigade being the latest proof. Similar the Happy Journey Collective, it's an opportunity for illustrators to contribute to a large project, in this case a marching band full of animals and creatures. Above is a bit of a character sketch for the flugelhorn-playing tiger I hope to finished sometime soon (today? tomorrow??). I took a slightly different approach using heavy charcoal lines that I scanned and manipulated. The result seems much bolder than a lot of my usual work, but I like it a lot.

The past weekend didn't involve a lot of drawing because I went home to see family and attend my most loveliest friends' wedding. Below are a few of the photos I snapped during the ceremony held at a wooden playground. Armed with three cameras, I alternated among my Nikon FM (film), Diana+ (film), and my great grandfather's Argoflex which I didn't load with film, but shot digitally. Confused? Google 'through the viewfinder' and you'll discover how to mesh the magic of old film cameras with the convenience of digital.