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.

Award Winning?

Just a quick note to brag about my first book. Put Away Your Phone has been awarded semi-finalist in the Royal Palms Literary Contest and is now a finalist for the award in the Picture Book category!

Won't know the final results until they hold their annual banquet in October. But the author, Tracy Bryan, and I are holding our fingers crossed til then. This would mean a great deal in legitimizing this self-published book. We each put a great deal of work into making it as professional, entertaining and helpful as possible (okay, the author gets a lot of credit for that. But I put a lot into those illustrations too!). It never occurred to me that it would be lumped into the same category as those self-published books people create just to show their grandkids. I mean, I understand. It didn't go through an editor, but it did pass through a ton of professional critiques. I really feel that if people take a look at this and put it up beside other traditionally published books it will compare favorably (that's a modest way of saying it deserves this award).

I'm just sayin'!

A NEW BOOK on the Market!

Back in February I was contacted by a woman halfway across the continent from me. She had seen my portfolio on the SCBWI website and asked if I would be interested in illustrating her book. I said yes, but just between you and me it took a few weeks before I started taking it seriously. You see, I've been approached by a lot of people over the years with grand ideas of publishing their children's stories and just needing someone to illustrate them. Usually I never hear from them again. No, ALWAYS I never hear from them again.

Until Tracy Bryan.

Tracy Bryan is a self-publisher of children's books designed to "educate, inspire, and empower kids and their families." She had an idea for a full-blown picture book and needed an illustrator to make it happen. Eventually I began to realize that Tracy Bryan makes her dreams happen. Just follow her blog and see for yourself! She certainly inspired and empowered me!

So anyway, I learned a great deal during the process of creating this book. The first and probably the most important thing I learned was that I know how to do this. Everything I've ever had to do to make a living has required me to push myself to achieve something I didn't really have any idea how to do. There's nothing wrong with that. But when that's all you accomplish it's discouraging. The results were always somewhere around mediocre.

As I began laying out this story across 32 pages I discovered that I already knew what I needed to know to be able to do this. Some of it came naturally to me. Most of it were things I've studied, pored over library books for or practiced all my life when I had free time. Not that I can't still learn. It's just that all my life I've been illustrating picture books without actually having a book to produce.

Like I keep telling everyone: This is what I was always meant to be doing!

And the book? It's available on Amazon as a download or a paperback. The hardcover version is being printed right now and should be up there any day. We are both really proud of what we have produced. I believe it can stand beside any picture book on the market (take that all you self-publishing haters!). In addition to being a fun romp with lots of crazy animals as Emma and her parents visit the zoo it teaches both parents and kids the value of cell phones and the danger of their overuse.

Frankly, you'll just love it.