Now, be honest. Wouldn't you like to skip all these other holidays and dive right into Christmas?

All right. It's a cheesy idea. Not to mention overused. But isn't that part of the holiday charm? Or does that sound like a cheesy and overused excuse?

I felt like watching Dracula for Halloween tonight

Welcome, Children.

In honor of our hallowed holiday, I have chosen to reanimate the insipid silliness of our yesteryears. Ah, the innocent entendre, the droll misunderstandings, the bride of bumbling boobery ... Chrissy. The perfect touch to your whiney political ramblings, isn't she?

You're welcome.

Calling On The Mystical Arts

I'm developing some smaller products to appeal to kids. Towards that end, here's a trading card idea for a mysterious wizard. He's deeply concentrating, focused on ... well, something. Maybe he's trying to start a fire without a match. Maybe he's trying to levitate a hammer or his cat, Merlin.

Whatever he's doing, he's trying hard to make it happen. Does he look like he's trying too hard to alter the laws of gravity? I don't know, but I'm proud that he keeps trying.

I Could Have Been An Artist Reporter

I missed the first few nights of Ken Burns new documentary on Vietnam, but I've been watching the last several nights of it. This is a sketch made while watching. It was from a powerful photo of several soldiers who looked absolutely exhausted. That just moved me and I had to recreate what I remembered.

It's fascinating to me what court artists and artist reporters from a century ago would do - sketching news events as they observe them. I have a book of art by Paul Calle that includes a section on the sketches he made the morning the Apollo 11 astronauts left for the moon. That may have been the last time the American government thought it prudent to have artists (other than photographers) record some important event. I've never seen those drawings in all the documentaries I've watched about that event, but to me it's fascinating to see these guys eating breakfast and suiting up through the eyes of an artist. I wonder what I would have done in the days before photography was used in newspapers. Might I have ended up on a battlefield somewhere or some breaking news scene whipping out my sketchpad to dash off some image to be reproduced in wood later for the printing presses? Sounds like a fascinating career.

Today, I just sketch things off the TV.

I need to get a life.

New Book!

I've illustrated a new children's picture book: "A Truck Named Tony" by Jane Hawkins. It's about a truck sitting in a car dealership window worried that no one will buy him. Then, when the perfect family does buy him he worries that they will get tired of him. Sounds like the perfect book for me!

Anyway, I had a lot of fun illustrating it. It's my second book for Doodle and Peck Publishing. I'm working on a third one for them right now. And after that I believe a sequel to Scanner will be ready for me. They like me at Doodle and Peck. They really like me.

Garage Sale, Day 2

Maybe I'm Just A Big Kid

For the last few months I've been visiting schools with the author, Una Belle Townsend, talking about our book, Scanner. Then, in front of an eager audience I get to share one of the most fulfilling activities of my life that, up to now, has also been one of my most private experiences.

In other words, no one has ever cared about the pictures I sit and draw when I just want to relax. Most of the images I've placed on this blog come from that experience. I get up in front of a group of kindergartners or third graders and do a couple of quick, sloppy, silly sketches and they applaud.

They APPLAUD!

The point I always try to make is the thing they like to do when no one is telling them to do it can become their life's work. That is, if they are willing to believe in it and push to learn how to do it well ... all while no one else is pushing them to learn.

Think about it. Right now, I'm a point where I am experiencing a lot of things that should be discouraging me from pursuing my art. They have discouraged me in the past. I've given up again and again only to return to it eventually because I just can't stop drawing silly pictures. But a group of little kids who don't know any better clap for me, hug me and tell me they are going to be illustrators also and I know I am finally doing what I was created to do.

Take that, world!

(By the way, this picture was taken by the Communications Director at Prairie View Elementary in Mustang, OK. It's on the header of their district website.)

This Is My Look

This is how I look and I'm proud of it.

Yeah, that's all I'm going to say about that.

It's My Job. Someone Has To Do It.

All throughout history there has always been the job no one wants to do. But if the great monuments of this world are to be built there has to be the unsung hero who sweeps up the gravel, goes out for lunch and there has to be that guy who cleans out the nostrils. It's in the history books. Look it up.

In my world, I'm that guy. I am only of use to people if I am doing something that helps them satisfy their momentary whims. Solving the big questions of life is not even under consideration.

What you are seeing here in my art is the fact that a whole new world is opening up to me in which I can do the things I love to do, practice the skills I've trained myself to do all my life and actually receive recognition for it (kids seem to love my pictures). The only down side is I can't make money doing it. Am I pursuing a path without any real value? Is it really more useful to spend my time satisfying someone else's momentary itches than to be inspiring kids to have an imagination and to develop their talents?

By this worlds standards I am currently of no value to my society (because I haven't found a way to make money off of my images). But in my little corner I am contributing a positive, humorous and uplifting view of this world and still believe I can and fully engaging the skills and talents I was born with. I should be able to make a living off of that.

I don't understand this world. That's all there is to it. I do know that this wasn't anywhere close to what I thought I would write here, but then again maybe that's what's on this guys mind, too.

Here she is, Miss 14 Carat

So, here's the story behind this. Lately, I've been going around to local schools talking to kids about illustrating books. I discovered they LOVE my crazy sketches and many times I try to draw something different just to keep me fresh and give the kids the feeling that this is spontaneous. Then, last Saturday I operated a camera for the Mrs. Oklahoma Beauty Pagent. While the judges were deciding who wins I sat down next to my camera up in the balcony and spent a little time coming up with ideas for the kids. This is what came out. That's all the explanation I got!

Float like a boat, sting like a bee

Professionally he's known as The Bruiser, but his friends call him Wendel. I know, you've never heard of him. But believe me, he's been out there for quite a few years now pounding away at his opponents. Bruisers favorite move is "The Steamtrain." That's where he comes barreling across the ring to head butt his foe. It's actually quite effective. Problem is it's illegal. Wendel spends a lot of time on probation. That's probably why you've never heard of him.

Notice his foot action. He's actually pretty light on his feet. That's because Wendel's other job is a lifesaver at the public pool. He's got to be ready to dive in after a drowning kid or spin around and confront the pestering kid (usually the same kid). 

He just came from there. That's why he doesn't have on the regulation trunks. And he gets a lot of laughs over them at the pool as well. Wendel doesn't really mind. He likes sitting in the sun and blowing his whistle. Does he love it more than boxing? It's really hard to tell. Is he a boxer who makes extra dough as a lifeguard or a lifeguard who uses boxing to keep in shape? 

I don't think he's figured that out yet.

Lookin' Fer Old Pew

Found a new style I wanted to try out! The artist started with a dark deep color and added a similar color to the background. Then he added his subject. He painted it in neon colors with a strong sketchy outline on top, but I went with more of a realistic depiction. I don't know where I'll go with this, but I like playing with it right now, especially on my IPad where I can easily add these background colors.

As far as the subject, this is what happens when you watch Treasure Island and try to draw. I didn't start out to depict Billy Bones from the movie (played by Oliver Reed), but by the time I had finished it looked a little like him so I went with it.

Buffalo Hunter

Buffaloes used to cover the plains where I now live. Sometimes, they say, it would take days for an entire herd to pass by. Today there are a handful left in zoos and preserves. But they're ready for you this time.

This was a painting done while watching a western on tv. Made on my iPad. It's quickly becoming my preferred sketch pad. I was completely finished by the time I noticed that I had given him sleeves, but no collar. It was just too much fun developing that hairy chest. But that's probably why we call them sketches instead of masterpieces.