Abacus cadabra

Gonna be reading the LaTimes today? Then check this out...
Overnighter about calculating the Oscar winner for best picture (its a relatively new method they're using to vote in the winner (it actually a very old method they're bringing back)) - the article also talked a bit about the controversy of this method - and the idea of picking your favourite one. Anyway, started painting at about 5pm, due the next morning by noon - needless to say...i was tired. Im excited every time Wes calls - he's a great AD and tonnes of fun. Shout out to good buddy Josiah Gordon, and Daniel Downey - two great illustrators well versed in abacus imagery. Have a good sunday everyone

beam me up spotty

another spot - i seem to do a lot of these, someone has to right :)
for the stranger about their book advice column (advises love books or love advice...it involves love) anyway - this is graphically a lot cleaner than my usual work - its just that the size didnt lend itself to a lot of detail and i wanted it to be read without any trouble.
more messier work up soon. fo sho
i was REALLY hoping the "lady and the tramp" bookmark idea would be picked, c'est la vie

its my birthday this month

This was for Phoenix mag - its the first time I've had to paint a building (or anything really) that actually looked like it does in real life. So that was fun. I've wanted to work with Brian for a while and he didnt disappoint. stop by again soon, wont you?

blinded by the light

Quick spot for a really neat article about "shedding light" on adult literacy, programs and institutions (such as libraries). Places like these promote healthy reading habits for life - really excited that blinds look like a library card!!

i fought the law and the law won

Heres a piece i did for American Lawyer about jealousies between core and secondary practices, how they interact and how they are contained. The article had a lot of information, which made getting the right final image tricky and involved lots of roughs :) I was really happy with the direction of the piece and the AD was a real pleasure to work with.
more soon.
Heres some roughs
Thanks for reading, lots more soon.

Op-Edward Scissorhands

it was that title or Op-Edward Cullen.
So heres two recent Op-Eds for the LATimes, it started with one, then another was assigned the next day, both finals due the next day at noon. Needless to say it was a long night.
"Dunce" was about kids who are getting amazing grades but should be failing etc."Trophy" was about cultural inflation in relation to the oscars - how
the award has to reclaim what it means to win, from what it means to be popular.The Art director was the totally awesome Wes Bausmith. Thanks a million Wes!
Thanks for visiting. Jills in england for 10 days, im going crazy with boredom ...call me!!!

Misc.

two spot jobs and two "just for funs"
first - a small spot for Time Out NY - they wanted a construction worker plugging his ears.
next a little spot for Macworld. They wanted a guy on an island, able to use his mac. I can do that! the issue is that working as small as i was everything needed to be a bit more graphic, so it was readable. kinda fun to breath new life into an exhausted metaphor
The last two are a bit unusual for me, but i was so happy to try some fun new stuff - first, a shirt design for Canadian hardcore band Comeback Kid - For their Australian tour i wanted simple, fun, graphic images - sort of trying on my "designers hat" (note to REAL designers - im sorry to EVER refer to myself as one of you...just give me this...)
and Finally, in the same vein, my good friend Greg has been putting on shows in Toronto for ages now and theres a big one in Feb. I happily did the poster for him to help promote it - again very graphic - but handled in a familiar way.
More editorial work up soon. Thanks for stopping by.

learn it

Yikes, Sorry we're already a week in without a post. I'll just make sure this one is long as hell. Its great to be here in 2010 - no sign of flying cars yet, or food in pill form - but maybe soon. This series (only a portion posted) was for AV's 2010 education package. Although I had a bit over two weeks to get all of these done - with other finals and the holidays that time quickly turned into latenights and early mornings. Im really trying to push my work this year - like make some great stuff - so i put a lot of time into the execution. Aside from a bit of tweeking / contrasting in photoshop almost 100% of these are painted. Im finding myself painting more and more, rather than screening and Im having a lot of fun doing it that way. Its nice when your process is refreshed. Lindsay, the AMAZING AD always has so many ideas and such great input. Im so happy everytime I hear from her. Anyway Im going to post lots of rough ideas and a few of the finals... split into two parts the article focuses on getting degrees online and the troubles w/ that - and also going back to school for an MBA - the pro's and cons. -


there were many many more - just to give you an idea of where i was coming from.
Heres a few finals:
balancing work w/ getting the MBA degree
being heldback by the persuit
digital assistance on the journey
Lots more to post this month, Plus Im thrilled to announce that Mark Smith (see links (for some reason i cant get the link to work here)) will be conducting interviews with me on Nonslick.
Im happy to have him on board.
Thanks for reading

2009

So, I think I can say without hesitation that the year 2009 was the best year of my life. I feel like its extra awesome because it followed a few hard years - so all in all i feel very fortunate and very blessed. Some highlights include: Living in England and the addition of Ema, Hugh and G$ to my friend posse. Spain, Paris, Amsterdam, Wales, Berlin etc. Jills business taking off and her ability to constantly make better work / work harder - Im very proud of her. Johl being a dad and all the success BIB has had. Dad feeling better after a long sickness, those were hard times and they're behind us now - Same goes with Leslie - To continued health and eternal life you two! How Lucky I am to have worked with so many wonderful AD's and amazing, awesome publications - Thank you for taking the risk and please continue to do so ;) . Im so happy so many great illustrators have taken time to let me interview them on Nonslick. I honestly have a million more to interview. Im sorry that its updated so sporadically - I'll try to do it a bit more regularly this coming year. I've gotten to know (even if only over the Internet) many talented and wonderful illustrators this year that seem to provide endless inspiration and insight - you know who you are, thank you. And while we're on the subject thank you to the following illustrators who are so inspiring and amazing - YOU people are the reason I love this business - your work is amazing - Thank you thank you thank you: Brian Cronin, Dan Page, Riccardo, Gary Taxali, Alex Nabaum, Jon Krause, Dan Bejar, Mike Byers, Devon Bowman, Edward McGowan, Brian Stauffer, Chris Buzelli (you've totally re-opened my eyes to how amazing painting is), Kyle Webster, Daniel Hertzberg, Mark Smith, Yuta Onoda, Sam Weber, Nimit Malavia, Mark and Jos, Juan Solon, Dave, my good friend Mr. Jack Dylan, Alexei Vella, Gerard Dubois, Christopher Silas Neal, Jennifer Daniel, Christoph Niemann, Kathryn Adams, Julia Breckenreid, John Hendrix, Brad Yeo, Marco Cibola, Tessar Lo, Ryan Snook, Paul Blow, Tavis Coburn, and anyone that I may have forgot. You are all amazing. Thank you for making this dream and exciting one. Please keep it up! Finally Thank you Vicki, Gail and Kate - You three are amazing and Im very very fortunate to get to work with such pros.
Thank you for reading my blog, thank you for posting comments, thank you for making this seem real!! Im the luckiest person alive. To anyone I've wronged in 09', please accept my apologies, Im sure Karma has already made it up for you. I love you all.
To close heres a super quick piece for the Globe. More work up in 10'. May y'all be blessed this year and have lots of awesome shit fall on your laps.
RIP Michael, the King of Pop.

EASY E-book (like the rapper, but also the book)

This piece was for the cover of an ebook about the changes happening in marketing right now - Specifically, if leaders in the industry want to stay leaders they'll adopt some changes. Communication, growth, evolution were all themes i played with. the talented AD was my friend Emily. She's such a pro. clear with her expectations, and great with feedback. i liked the final idea a lot - that the new target market is built on a foundation of communication. i also loved the juggling rough - im sure we'll be seeing that idea again soon. its almost the weekend. thank God.

shorty got low low lower lowest.

New piece for research world about the decline in revenue within the advertising industry. - to be a bit more specific its really a decline in the traditional markets. - I thought it would be funny to use a sandwich board - the most antiquated form of advertising i could imagine. theres also a focus on a change over to digital (see other roughs) - but i liked the idea Steve chose a lot - i feel it was more all encompassing. was really happy with the idea and execution. thanks Steve!!!
liked the "unraveling" idea
coulda been a pretty fun final too - considering the article

Rotten

These little babies were for an article featuring the website Rotten Tomatoes. Not familiar with the site? You should be! It correlates movie reviews and posts the findings on a "Tomato Meter" from fresh to rotten. The focus of the article was the sites Oscar predictability. Very interesting. Working with Wes is the best. Wes is the best. Heres a feature illo showing the "fortune teller" aspects of the site (the sites tomato logo as a crystal ball), and a little spot - showing the sites influence on the awards (tomato slice replacing film reel - foundation). Did i mention I love working with Wes? Both finals painted in just a day and a half - So, Im getting faster. Oh, and while I have you - be sure to check out Jills new website: www.loveheadmistress.com it was designed by Phillip Nessen (I know, how awesome is that) and its UNREAL!
EDIT - This image just wont die. Shortly after this piece ran Wes asked me if i could make a few changes to run in the "Brand X" section as well. Thanks Wes! Now DIE IMAGE DIE!!!