Santa Fe Reporter cover

Did this recently for Santa Fe Reporter, for their 2009 ‘Sweat’ issue. The art director wanted a kickboxing girl (since that is a feature article), and it so happened that I already had a girl in a kickboxing pose from an old illustration. I showed it to her and she was happy with reusing it, with some new elements in the background.

santa fe reporter, cover sketch

So this was the sketch for the cover. I was asked to do something dynamic, with Chinese dragons, so I came up with the dragon and various lines and elements behind the girl to make her look cooler. I asked for the masthead so that I could work the design around the main elements on the page.

This was the final art, without the masthead.

Here’s the latest cover for OWL Kids. Halloween this year features Mummies thanks to the upcoming King Tut exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Here’s a better look at the cover.

These were some of the sketches that didn’t make the cut. Originally I was planning to have a more Egyptian theme but it was decided that the issue didn’t have enough Egypt-mummy content to warrant the history lesson!

Also in this issue (I think) is a how-to spread on how to make your own headless man costume. The illustrations were actually done last year for the previous Halloween issue. However, at the time, an incident in Canada made the article seem to be in poor taste and the magazine decided to keep the article for this year instead. Will try to take some pics of this when I get the magazine.

Little spot I did a while back for Seattle Metropolitan. They had a reporter covering a local election completely by Twitter, so the art director asked for a Twitter-esque bird to be pecking on a Blackberry.

This is another brush image I’m working on for myself. I have an on-again, off again motif of girls with swords going through them, and this is the latest incarnation of that. Final colors to come, depending on when I get the time.

inked sketch on tabke

Another view of table

Closeup with pencil. You can see the original brushwork is not complete black.

Finshed inks, scanned and cleaned in Photoshop.

Been very busy with work over the last couple of months (at least I think it’s been a couple of months, I’ve sorta lost track of time). Am STILL really busy, which is a good thing all things considered. Am currently working on something for Oxford University Press, as well as several other things.

Anyways, here’s the new stuff that’s been added to the site:

Eating Well – Nourish

For Eating Well magazine, in the new ink brush style. Very happy with it. It’s about the joy of growing and eating your own food. I love food. Even though I don’t eat all that much.

Kayak – Summer in Canada spread

For Kayak’s summer issue featuring Monty Moose.

Know Magazine – Baked Alaska

For Know science magazine for kids. About the discovery of Baked Alaska. More food, strangely.

Animals of the Chinese zodiac. Click the pic for a much larger (and nicer) view.

Sure hope it looks like them. Personal work, reffed off a piece in a magazine, pity the photographer recently passed on, he had some great portraits of rock stars.

Color variant. Originally the background was meant to be blue. But it had too much of a indie comic feel. Or so I felt.

Yeah, um so… happy easter.

Remember, don’t piss off the Easter Bunny.

Was trying to do a draw-off with a friend and record the work on the computer, but I hit the wrong button when I  was almost done and it didn’t save a thing. Quite sad. At least the artwork is fine. The ‘ghost’ is not really finished but I’m a bit too bummed to fix it right now.

I did two images for the holidays this year, this one is for the boys on DeviantArt and the other communities I frequent, and for friends. The other picture is more… approachable, and is meant for clients and relatives.