Happy Valentine's Day.. Late

Eat your heart out....

I actually sent this out to family, friends, and associates on Valentine's Day.  I just forgot to post it here :)  This is Tiki.  He belongs to our cousins down in San Clemente.  He's your typical surfer,  snorting, farting, family dog.  While Tiki is a bit of a terror he is still a dog and I really really want a dog.  I'm telling you, when this deadline is done I'm getting a dog. 

Caterina meets Penguin

Caterina (a little brown bird with great big colorful thoughts) and I are both excited to be working with Dial on a new picture book.  Yay!!! 

Book Signing at Costco

I'm heading home to the Midwest this week. I'll be signing copies of TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN WISCONSIN this next Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Middleton, WI Costco from 11am-2pm. (outside Madison) Stop by if you're in the area, I'll be the one shivering in the corner. :)

Doodling Bears...

Happy November

I could never be a serious blogger. Proof, here's the Halloween promo I sent out, you know, on Halloween. This past weekend I was invited to review portfolios at the Los Angeles SCBWI Illustrator's Day. One of the speakers explained the importance of maintaining ones blog, if not to attract the masses, then to at least give some insight into ones personality. I have mixed feelings on that. Doesn't my work give a few clues about my personality? Maybe not.. ?

A Worthy Walrus -inpsiration

I'm slightly obsessed with the Albert Khan Archives.  I'd heard about it, but was pretty much in the dark until last year when PBS ran  the BBC documentary The Wonderful World of Albert Khan.  You can actually see part of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUR61F1dOms  I imediately purchased the companion book and it's been a source of inspiration ever since. 

For instance, my walrus here started with a conversation with my agent.  For some reason we were talking about walruses... serious, important publishing stuff, ya know... which got me thinking how I'd never actually drawn a walrus before and it would probably be a fun thing to do.  So I started sketching.  At first all the little guys were very realistic and how should I say.. boring.  But as I sketched the character of the animals started to come out.. and then I remembered the Khan images of the Maharajah of Kapurthala, who as it turns out, looked exactly like a walrus.  See scan below:

So I combined the two ideas and now I have a most worthy walrus, and a summer promo.

Spring Promo