The Illustration Brothel

Ron.

2011-10-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

Finally had a second to get back to this. Worked on the values, and added a limited palette. NOW, I'm officially done and gearing up for some screen print and animation work!!

Ron Paul caricature (Photoshop)

Ron Paul Caricature.

2011-08-26T00:40:00.000-07:00

Finished.

Ron Paul caricature (Photoshop)

Bottom Detail

Donkey detail

Elephant Detail

Hand 1 detail

Head 2 detail

Head detail

Still working...

2011-08-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Making some progress on ol' Ron Paul. Who knew painting man-nipple-hair could be so fun? A lot left to finish, but I will have this completed in the next couple of days. I plan on sending this out as my latest self-promotional mailer; with Ron in the news a lot these days, I think the timing will be right.

Ron Paul progress (Photoshop)

Ron Paul detail (Photoshop)

Ron Paul Resketch.

2011-08-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

Still working out the kinks on this sketch. Across the board, the values need to be wrangled. I added a donkey, and the beginnings of some dust clouds (that still need a lot of work) for a "just knocked out" feel. The good news is that it's getting closer to what I originally had in mind.

Ron Paul Caricature (Painter)

Ron Paul...again.

2011-07-27T02:35:00.000-07:00

Hey whattya' know? Ron Paul again...

Ron Paul sketch (Painter / Photoshop)

Ron Paul Value Sketch.

2011-07-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

Finally getting somewhere. Quick value sketch. Big thanks to my brother who posed for reference (complete with a tube sock stuffed in his tights), and my 65 year-old father-in-law for agreeing to be photographed shirtless...a memory forever blazed into my brain.

Hopefully onto the finished painting soon!

Ron Paul value sketch (Painter)

Ron Paul, Again.

2011-07-20T23:33:00.001-07:00

Still some issues with anatomy, hopefully I can work that out in paint....I'm happier with the likeness for sure.

Ron Paul sketch (Painter)

Ron Paul.

2011-07-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Still working....getting closer.

Ron Paul sketch (Painter, Photoshop)

Ron Paul.

2011-07-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

Study for a Ron Paul illustration.

Ron Paul study (Painter)

Hugo.

2011-07-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hugo sketch.

Hugo sketch (Painter)

Robert.

2011-07-10T03:06:00.000-07:00

The whole time I was drawing him, I was thinking "Man, that chest tattoo had to kill."

Robert sketch (Painter)

Bill.

2011-07-08T00:29:00.000-07:00

"My name is William, Bill for short."

Bill sketch (Painter)

Forest IV.

2011-07-02T00:39:00.000-07:00

Finished ol' Forest up tonight. I tried a new palette, as well as some new painting techniques in Photoshop.

Here is the photo I used for reference.

Forest Whitaker (Photoshop)

Forest III.

2011-07-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

Value painting. Color up next.

Forest Whitaker value painting (Photoshop)

Forest Progress.

2011-06-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

Smooshed his head. About 40% done with the values....

Forest progress (Photoshop)

Forest.

2011-06-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

Rough sketch of Forest Whitaker...now onto the painting.

Forest sketch (Painter)

Scott K.

2011-06-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

Sketches of Scott K: owner of one impressive lid.

Scott K. (Painter)

Scott K. (Painter)

Monochromatic Kevin.

2011-06-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

Finished monochromatic painting of the Kevin sketch. The drawing was way off, so I spent a lot of time drawing and painting. I also spent quite a bit of time painting upside down (the canvas, not me), and it was really, really helpful.

Kevin (Photoshop)

Kevin (detail)

Megan.

2011-06-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

Sketch exploration of Megan of the Schnoz familia.

Megan (Painter)

Kevin.

2011-06-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Kevin sketch.

Kevin (Painter, Photoshop)

Gary.

2011-06-10T01:37:00.000-07:00

Value painting of Gary (based off of a sketch by Jason Seiler).

Gary (Photoshop)

Nancy Pelosi.

2011-06-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Nancy "Skeletor" Pelosi. Pulled plenty of reference for the drawing, but due to the high resolution I used this image primarily....well, that and this.

Nancy Pelosi (Painter)

Katherine.

2011-06-03T01:15:00.001-07:00

Katherine sketch. Squashed her face quite a bit which made her a bit more round (and younger) than she really is. Coincidentally, the result looks a bit like a cross-dressing Corey Feldman going on an audition for a horror film. hahaha.

Katherine (Painter)

Paul.

2011-06-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Paul Sketch.

Paul (Painter)

Ear Holes.

2011-05-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

Trevor sketch.

Trevor (Painter)

Tom Hanks.

2011-05-28T02:06:00.001-07:00

Value sketch of Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks (Painter, Photoshop)

Elder Watson Diggs

2011-03-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a 1-color illustration of Elder Watson Diggs for 1469 Gear. Diggs attended Indiana University, the birthplace of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and served as Grand Polemarch for the first six consecutive years of the Fraternity's existence. Fun job, great client - more Kappa work coming!!

The Dreamer (Illustrator)
©1469 Gear

Read Before Dating.

2011-02-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

I recently had an opportunity to illustrate the front and back covers for a nice little book aimed at 'tween girls. As I was gathering reference at bookstores, I did get quite a few weird stares as I rifled through the 12-16 year-old girl section...uncomfortable...

From a subject matter and style point of view, it was a bit different for me - but had a lot of fun! Coming to a bookstore near you.

Photoshop / Painter / Illustrator

Crazy Eyes.

2011-02-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time. Wanted to see where this painting could go without any preliminary sketches...just started painting. This also gave me an excuse to give Painter 11 a whirl. Not seeing much of a difference with the software, really. I think this is a version most can skip...

Painter

I tried to save as many times as possible, in attempts to see where I'm making progress or just noodling. Here are a few lo res process (if you want to call it that) shots:

The good news is that while painting this I came up with an idea for a series...looking forward to that!

Come Play With Us Forever.

2010-03-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

I watched The Trilogy of Terror this weekend for the first time in 30 years with my wife Erin. She had never experienced the joy that the Zuni Warrior Fetish Doll bestows. Let's just say the movie doesn't hold up well (nor does Karen Black, for that matter). After promising my wife "one of the best horror experiences of all time"...I have officially lost my veto power on movie night. I sure can't wait for a grueling, six month punishment of Matthew McConaughey flicks.

The movie reminded me that I had started a series of favorite horror movie illustrations a while back. Here are a couple of interpreted images from The Shining (one of my all time favorites) and Salem's Lot.

The Shining (Painter)
Salem's Lot (Painter)

Happy Valentines Day.

2010-02-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

The end result of this is somewhat disturbing.

Cupid Dan (Painter/Photoshop)

RockaProgress?

2010-02-03T02:06:00.000-08:00

Request to change the drawing, and have the characters looking at the camera. I need to stop noodling and finish this thing already. Man, I need to wrangle my values.

Rockabots (Painter)

Boxer Detail (Painter)

Rockabots Poster.

2010-01-18T22:58:00.000-08:00

Working on a sketch...the only thing sketchy was me posing for these. Both my wife and my dog laughed at me. The goal: 1) operate on the drawing and b) to paint this mug in a week.

Rockabots Poster (Painter)

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T04:59:00.001-08:00

Daniel Johnston for Christmas.

2009-12-25T07:04:00.001-08:00

Does my wife know me or what? I guess I'll have to step up my "gift of socks" effort next year.

"USA", Daniel Johnston (Ink, Marker)

Comic Cover Roughs.

2009-12-24T05:44:00.001-08:00

Rockabots comic a brewin'...interest from a few publishers. Here's a few first attempts at roughing out potential covers. Check out the new Website - some great work from Neezo Animation in Ontario. (All images copyright © Adrenaline Motion Pictures 2009)

Rockabots Roughs (Painter)

Ned, Ted, and Red: The Big Surprise.

2009-12-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

Illustrations from the last book, which was finished in the fall...and, I think, ended up as my favorite. Partners in crime: John Ludwick and Scott Ball. A team of former Disney guys are animating them now, and I'm excited to see the end result.

The following were all painted in Painter. Here's a handful of the final illustrations (All images copyright © MeySen 2009):

Boobie Lover.

2009-12-10T00:59:00.000-08:00

No Gatorade for you Tiger Woods.

Painter

Working.

2009-11-19T00:16:00.001-08:00

In Progress.... Painter / Photoshop

Old Stuff.

2009-11-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

Reorganizing old files, and found some even older work. You know what that means? Archival vomit (bare with me here, folks)...even my very first digital illustration - good ol' Fred Sanford (who knows the airbrush tool? Dan knows the airbrush tool, that's who. haha).

Fred Sanford (Photoshop)

The rest of these are oil paint on board / canvas (ahh the good ol' days, when I used to smell like turpentine). Alot of these involved transferring a drawing to hot press illustration board, covering the entire board with masking tape, cutting around the design with an X-acto knife, painting, letting dry, and peeling the tape away. Something tells me that using selection tools in Photoshop is a bit faster...plus you don't have to use the oven as a drier.

The Perils of Playing Outdoors (Oil on board) for House Calls Magazine (special thanks to my nephew Wilken for modeling).

Car Detaling (Oil on board) for Consumer Reports Magazine

Indiana Agriculture poster (Oil on board) for Indiana Agriculture Resource Council

Furniture Restoration (Oil on board) for Living in Stamford Magazine
Pharmaceutical Payoffs (Oil on board) for Great Life Magazine
Discover Art poster (Oil on canvas) for the Savannah College of Art and Design

Young's Marina (Graphite Transfer and Oil on board) Bronze Medal Society of Illustrators Los Angeles

Massage Therapy (Oil on board) Rejected illustration for Charleston Magazine

Howard Stern (Oil on board) Self-promotional mailer
Monica Lewinsky as a Shop-Vac (Oil on board) Self-promotion
Bob Ross (Oil on board) Self-promotion

IRS Agent (Oil on board) Self-promotion
Gum balls (Oil on board) Based upon the harrowing revelation that my grandpa had dentures
I Gave You My Heart...You Shot My Dog (Oil on board) Semi auto-biographical story...it's okay, I married a red head in the end :)

Yellow Tears (Oil on canvas) Self-promotion

Nosey (Oil on board) Self-promotion

Globalism (Oil on canvas) Self-promotion

Stock Market (Oil on board) Self-promotion

Loonies (Oil on canvas) Self-promotion

Speed Paint.

2009-10-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Using a Web cam as live reference to paint...it creates some nice lighting effects, but I can't say much about the model.

Self-Portrait (Painter)

Kate Gosselin Illustration.

2009-09-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

Enough already.

Kate Gosselin (Painter)

Mayer Fabrics Storyboards.

2009-05-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a fun little sales animation with my ol' pal Kevin Marshall for Mayer Fabrics in Indianapolis. Here are some boards from the project that were approved yesterday. I'll post progress as we work.

Mayer Fabrics Storyboards (Painter / Photoshop)

Found Some Time.

2009-05-19T02:49:00.001-07:00

I'm a pathetic blogger...I haven't had much time to update anything in quite some time. Somehow on top of other responsibilities, I was privileged to work on and complete two more books with John Ludwick and Scott Ball. Ludwick and I still have one more to finish up this summer...but I have a few more weeks before work begins on that. So for now, I'm playing catch up. Here's what I've been up to lately with Ludwick (All images copyright The Animation Closet and MeySen):

Front cover illustration for Mice in the Barn (Painter)

Back cover illustration for Ned, Ted & Red: Scary Shadows (Painter)

Interior cover illustration for Ned, Ted & Red: Scary Shadows (Painter)

Misc. interior illustrations for Ned, Ted & Red: Scary Shadows (Painter)

The following are some illustrations from Fancy and Leo which I worked on with Scott Ball that involved some more stylized coloring (All images copyright The Animation Closet and MeySen):

Misc. interior illustrations for Fancy and Leo (Painter)

Nathan Fowkes.

2008-11-24T03:12:00.001-08:00

An ol' SCAD buddy shared this link with me recently:

http://nathanfowkes.blogspot.com/

He is an absolutely amazing artist employed by DreamWorks.

Check him out, you won't be sorry. As such, he has just been added to the ever-growing list of "Those Who Constantly Make Me Hate Myself" located, for your convenience, at the bottom right of this page.

Keyframe Test.

2008-11-24T02:38:00.001-08:00

Still playing. I'm also noticing a tinge of the famed 60's Bigfoot video...

Today's note
Watching cartoons is much easier than attempting to make them.

Keyframe Test (Flash)

Gulp.

2008-11-18T01:10:00.000-08:00

I worked on getting this chap into Flash and divided up into symbols tonight. I'm not sure why I thought this would be easy. I've decided to start keeping notes on this experiment...little things I'm noticing from a non-animator's perspective.

Today's note
I would like to see Flash's drawing tools and Illustrator's tools bare-knuckle brawl out back by the bike rack. I went back and forth, using both without coming away with the understanding of which works best. What say ye folk who do this for a living?

Hopefully this will all start to gel soon. If not, there might be a slight character change....I'm thinking the "guy who was born with no joints."

Progress (Flash)

Character Design.

2008-11-13T00:13:00.000-08:00

The Mice posts got yanked until publication of the book. Please don't cry. The sun will come up tomorrow.

Beeyap!

I've started a character design and plan on "moving" it around in Flash....something I've really never explored. I'm sure that during this experiment at least 7 of the 9 Old Men will roll over in their graves...the other two will be too busy laughing.

I wanted to create a character in his mid 30s who operates on little sleep, has the patience of an 85 year-old man whose lawn the neighborhood kids are constantly walking across, never sees the sunlight, who is developing the physique of this guy, and whose chins are multiplying faster than those of a young Roseanne. Hopefully he looks familiar.

Here are some loose prep sketches. I finally got close to what I wanted but only after really studying and simplifying. But man those first few sketches are brutal - the first one especially, which looks suspiciously like I had a love child with Milhouse Van Houten or Paul from the Wonder Years. Still looks too much like "Default Flash Character," but hopefully I can lose that during the process.

Character Design Studies (Painter)
Also noodled with some color. Not completely sold, I'm sure it will change once I attempt to draw this entirely in Flash.

Character Design Color Comp (Painter / Photoshop)

Turn-around is next...which means I'll have to figure out what is going on with that face.

Spot.

2008-09-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a very quick spot for the upcoming 2nd Annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Softball Tournament. This will be used for some promotional materials, and was started and completed in an embarrassingly short time...but it's kind of nice to do that from time to time. My ass thanks me.

Softball Gal Sketch (Photoshop)

Finished Illustration (Photoshop / Painter)

Posters.

2008-08-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a poster series, and just finished the last one. These were designed to announce an upcoming laptop initiative at work starting this month. The challenge was trying to create an atmosphere of empowerment rather than dread. The scenario was pretty simple...starting Fall 2008 all students in the department were required to have laptops (i.e. buy their own laptop and software). Now attempting to get college students to be excited about spending a lot of beer money on a laptop...that's a tough sell to say the least. So the idea came up to produce a series of images that would a) empower students b) create a sense of solidarity and 3) drive them to the website for more information. Here was my take:

Rise! 24"x36", March 2008 (Illustrator)

Realize! 24"x36", May 2008 (Illustrator)

Rejoice! 24"x36", August 2008 (Illustrator)

Overall, I'm happy with the results...especially the concept.

This post brought to you by the colors Red, Orange, and Yellow.

Sketchy Sketches.

2008-08-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

Crazed Flight Attendant* (pencil)
*She believed she was posing for a Vogue cover-shoot as she delivered peanuts...so weird.

Meeting Sketch - Eric (pencil)

Meeting Sketch - Jack (pencil)

Man on the Moscow Metro (pen/pencil)

Russian Woman (pencil)

Girl (pencil)

Random Doodle (pen/pencil)

Finished.

2008-08-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Mice in the Barn is finished and ready for press. It was a whole lot of work and a lot of fun to paint....and better yet, I think 'those who pay' were extremely happy with the work. There are even talks of a follow-up book to begin very soon (as in now). It's always nice to finish up one BIG project and begin another that is already behind schedule. How does that happen, exactly?

The next book is about...wait for it...wait for it...mice. Not just mice, mice that go camping. I think the working title is Red, Ted, and Jed....or Red, Ted, and Fred. All I know is that if the book is about camping, I would like to officially try to include a reference to Canteen Boy if at all possible. Somehow, I don't think that will fly with a children's book.

Here are a few more finished lo-res spots from Mice in the Barn:

Mice in the Barn (Painter)

Mice in the Barn (Painter)

Mice in the Barn (Painter)

As always...a pleasure to work with The Zealot on this project. One day, maybe we will earn our mice badges and work our way up to other mammalian species.

The Illustration Brothel is Back and Damp.

2008-08-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

It's been sometime since I've had a chance to post...well...anything. The short of the long is that while I was overseas - Noah decided to drop by my place. His stay was brief, but not before he left around 7 feet of water in my place.

Everything was wiped out in the first floor of our building. In no particular order...3 vehicles - gone. Client files - gone. Family heirlooms - gone. Silkscreen machine - gone. All non-digital paintings, illustrations, drawings (spanning the last 15 years) - gone.

But, on the bright side - no one was hurt. We were much more fortunate than most around south central Indiana, many of whom are still trying to piece together their lives.

Check out Pathfindar's photos on Flickr. This guy was wading directly in front of my building. When I was in Poland and was alerted as to what was occurring a half-a-world-away, I immediately Googled Franklin, Indiana Flood. This was the first image I saw.

To quote John Malkovich's character KGB from the movie Rounders - "It hurts doesn’t it? Your hopes dashed, your dreams down the toilet. And your fate is sitting right besides you."

I did salvage a few slides...well, kind of:

Maybe I can use these as texture for a bad Photoshop collage. Dare to dream.

The Mullet is Back.

2008-05-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

One thing I have noticed while in Poland is the fashion, especially amongst the younger generations. That being said, I have witnessed several, oft-believed extinct mullets. And for some reason, both boys and girls, men and women can pull it off here. We're not talking about the typical Kentucky Waterfall either, these 'dos are carefully coiffed.

The Illustration Brothel predicts 2009 in the USA will be known as the 'Year of the Mullet.'

Here is a quick sketch of a local boy I saw today rocking the mullet - complete with some fine razor work on the sides.

Mullet Boy (Pen)

Rzeszów, Poland

2008-05-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

I'm currently spending some time in Poland. For the next four weeks I will be living and working in two different cities. The first city, Rzeszów, is located in southern Poland and is filled with a rich history and amazing, warm people. In roughly two weeks I will be headed north to the town of Poznań.

I wanted to take less photographs on this trip and spend much more needed time in a sketchbook. So, I've attempted to sketch as much as work will allow.

These first sketches were created quickly while waiting for a connecting flight at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago on Friday. By the way, I am a complete weakling when it comes to sketching in public...I try to remain in stealth mode, and quickly avert my eyes if my subject glances my direction. So these drawings reflect that...quick bursts of line that, at times, miss the detail that could improve them. I'm without a scanner, so forgive the bad digital pics of the sketchbook.

Airport Man #1 (Pencil)

Airport Man #2 (Pencil)

Today, we finally had some great weather in Rzeszów, and I wanted to head out to a local park named Park Sybiraków to try and sketch some local people (without being noticed).

At the top of one hill, I saw a gathering of older men who undoubtedly had seen the hardships of communist rule. Two or three would sit and talk, and others would wander up - almost as if they were expected - and share vodka with one another. You could see the years on their faces and in their movements. As I sat there, I saw something I thought was quite beautiful. Down-trodden, visibly worn men gently pouring glasses of vodka for one another. Several had only empty glasses that they held, and others would share what vodka they had, exchange a few gentle words and move on down the path.

I sat there and drew. These were some of the men.

Polish Man #1 (Pen)

Polish Man #2 (Pen)

Polish Man #3 (Pen)

Through the Trees.

2008-05-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

Another color. This one beat me up, as I really attempted to establish the right light. I spent more time on this in the past few days than I should have. I guess I was inspired by Ludwick's drawing...had to up the ante...or try, anyway. I'm working at 600 ppi, so a lot of the detail in these low res versions is getting lost.

Inked. (Painter)

Without. (Painter)
The bad news is that this is only one spot on a page of three. Ouch. Two more to go.

Richard Simmons.

2008-05-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

With this deluge of work in Painter, it got me thinking about older illustration jobs...and the fun of working with oils under a deadline. Galkyd, Japan Drier, Cobalt Drier...I think I tried them all.

I actually was so under the gun on one occasion that I actually thought putting illustration board, layered with lead white and cadmium oil paints, in an oven was a smart idea. I thought a quick bake at 350 degrees would help dry a glaze so I could rush to a finish. What an idiot. Of course I used the down time to unexpectedly fall asleep. When I finally opened the oven door...the paint was bubbling and belching noxious fumes.

This was that painting. Maybe it was Richard getting even.

Richard Simmons. (Oil on board)

Cheezy Aroma.

2008-05-15T01:49:00.000-07:00

More progress on the Mice in the Barn project. This is the first spread of the book...pages 1 and 2. The spot on the left will have text underneath...something like "In the box. Out of the box. Through the hole."

I'm resisting my urge to add some sophomoric humor here. You do the same...for the sake of the children.

With ink. (Painter)

Without. (Painter)

Metro Mouse.

2008-05-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Well, since it appears that I'm in the midst of an all-nighter...

This was the first concept test for the Mice in the Barn book. It's quite a departure from the typical illustration work they tend to publish. I submitted a few preliminary sketches, and did an extra piece in color in hopes that they would go with this style. Almost had it, too. Everyone in the art department really liked it...and it looked like it was a go...until the AD came back from a trip, and put the kibosh on it.

Sad times, indeed.

In the box. (Painter/Photoshop)

Maybe in the future, I'll write a book called Metrosexual Mice in a Loft, and use this.

I Hate Meeces to Pieces.

2008-05-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Progress on the illustration job with JB Ludwick. You can see this original ink on the Zealot's blog.

With linework. (Painter)

Without. (Painter)
Still working out the kinks in Painter, especially with this type of painting technique...but, I'll tell you - at times, it's easy to forget that you are in a software package and not at an easel. Now if the good folks at Corel could incorporate an element of danger like a lead paint option, or a combustible turpentine dropdown menu - all the cool kids would buy it.

Miley Cyrus You're Next.

2008-05-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

Since we're on the subject of caricatures...isn't the driving force behind any good caricature how 'buzz-worthy' that person is at the time of publication? Me thinks so. During this age of instant information and the constant deluge of imagery we all see...it's all about the now.

I must admit, I'm the first guy who likes to stick his arm, elbow deep, into the sparkling dung heap of pop culture, and pull out a caricature that has some immediate importance (to someone). The problem is, a few months after the fact, does the illustration still hold any significance? Does the narrative still make sense? Does anyone care? Or are we all now only concerned with the current orgy of child stars, sex tapes, and gastric bypass?

TMZ has stolen my will to live.

Well, in that vein...here are some recent, yet 'old news' illustrations.

Kim Jong-Il - (Photoshop / Painter)

TomKat...on their beloved 'birth' of daughter Suri (Photoshop / Painter)

A 5th Grade Punch to the Gut & Hillary Clinton

2008-05-05T02:33:00.000-07:00

I've been aching to sit down (and complete) a caricature recently...I do love me a good caricature.

Speaking of which, I've got a good story about the first (and last) time I ever tried to use my drawing wares to pick up a lady. It was fifth grade and I had a crush on a girl named Angie - cute, blond curly hair, middle school cheerleader who was 'going with' the quarterback. I sat at her homeroom desk, which was full of pink Trapper Keepers, during 4th period English. I thought that if I drew a funny picture of her boyfriend Jason and discretely placed it inside the desk...she would find it the next morning, fall deeply and helplessly in love with me and immediately dump him in favor of me. So, I scratched out my best caricature of her boyfriend eating dog poo on a sandwich bun (which I cleverly accompanied with an arrow and the words 'dog turd'). I was quite happy with the likeness...I even included his football number on his shirt. With a huge sense of satisfaction, I placed my masterpiece in her desk and daydreamed about future hand holding in the hallway.

Flash forward to the next day at recess. Here comes Angie...walking right toward me with a huge smile on her sweet, little face. The plan had worked out perfectly! That was, until Jason came out of nowhere - punched me in the stomach, and said 'That's for drawing pictures of me!' Angie turned around, grabbed Jason's hand, and together they walked to the other end of the playground.

I cried.

I cried again a few weeks later when a girl punched me - but that wasn't art related.

So, back to the caricature. Seeing as how the eyes of the world will be on Indiana this Tuesday for the big Obama / Clinton showdown - I wanted to take a stab at Hillary. She's a master of contorting her face, so I thought it would be challenging and fun.

Here's the initial sketch (Painter) :

Not sure about that...it was close, but maybe a bit too young.? When I went into color, I tried to angle her up a bit more, emphasize her age and the very impressive bags under her eyes.

Hillary Clinton (Photoshop / Painter):

Her expression reminds me of the feeling I had after my 5th grade beatdown. Foreshadowing? We'll see.

'Office Fatties' 2 - Electric Boogaloo

2008-05-02T22:50:00.000-07:00

10 years ago I could verbally designate the second part of any idea with a simple '[insert topic] 2 - Electric Boogaloo' and get some form of laughter. A chuckle, belly laugh, and the whatnot. Nowadays it usually results in a blank stare. I guess it's just testament to the fact that I am getting old...maybe I should stop hanging out with 18 year olds.

Regardless, big ups to Ozone. (I just popped and locked when I hit the period key).

Here are some of the earliest 'Office Fatties' images. Quick character sketches, to which Mike Flaherty developed some hilarious names. It's funny to look back at these now, and see how they have evolved.

Early Fatties from top down, left to right: Harris Wildman, Zapp and Roger (the fused-together IT guys), Rusty Bennet & Leon Candles. (Painter)

I went back and better developed a concept of Harris Wildman (who now pronounces his name 'Wildmin'). I wanted him to look more sinister and amorphous...the hair color is my homage to young Mike Flaherty.

Harris Wildman, take 2. I've always been a fan of big teeth, perhaps because I've got a large set of choppers, myself. (Photoshop / Painter)

'Night on the Avenue' Backgrounds

2008-05-02T00:31:00.000-07:00

Here's another Ludwick/Baldwin endeavor...'Night on the Avenue' a short based upon oral histories of the 50's jazz scene on Indiana Avenue (downtown Indianapolis). Will this ever see the light of day? Hope so.

Long pan background. (Photoshop/Painter)

Back room poker hall. (Photoshop/Painter)

Avenue at sunset. (Photoshop/Painter)

I've got more of these, I'll post later.

'Office Fatties' backgrounds

2008-05-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some backgrounds for 'Office Fatties,' A concept developed by me and John Ludwick (I call him Brian, but you must first obtain permission from the man - lest there be a smackdown), and currently aided by Mike Flaherty on the writing tip. The premise is pretty straightforward - Fatty Professors wreak havoc in the hallowed halls of academia...thus the tagline - 'It's lunchtime, do you know where your professor is?'

This has been a work in progress for nearly 3 years. Geez, 3 years...that's depressing. It's hard enough carving out time to work on this without being sidetracked by other jobs that actually pay - but, I do have faith in this one. 3 years later, and I still laugh at the writing - which I'll take as a good sign.

This is the 1st floor lobby - tiny elevator to the right, vending machines off stage left. Portraits of past and current Office Fatties, including Dean Harlon Butterball, hang in the hallway. (Photoshop/Painter)

This background is an establishing shot of the office elevator complete with industrial sized gears that hall the fatties between floors. I'm not sure if there are actually cotton-candy colored elevators...but it does make me hungry for fair food. (Photoshop/Painter)

This is the same elevator - several fatties are inside, returning to their offices after lunch at the Hungry Hippo. This shot takes place right before a gaseous implosion on board...perhaps due to mechanical failure...or the beef stroganoff. (Photoshop/Painter)

More 'Office Fatties' stuff to come...