Today is Earth Day, the only day where we as an entire species honor our shared home. Ideally it’d be a true holiday and we’d all be out planting seeds this morning.
Please take a second to recognize the corporations that are harming our planet through deforestation. The need for palm oil is not so severe that it’s worth the immense carbon emissions nor the wiping out of orangutans. We can shame those who participate in it and support those who don’t.
Once I’ve thought an idea through and it’s time to paint, there’s a bunch of good radio shows/podcasts out there that I enjoy listening to. If you have a curious mind and a penchant for good storytelling, you might like to try these out for yourself:
Radiolab
Myoclonic Jerk
Mysterious Universe
Invisibilia
Harmontown
The Memory Palace
This American Life
Originz
Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Treatment
Unfictional
Real Time with Bill Maher
Studio 360
Slate – The Culture Gabfest
Song Exploder
The Classic Tales Podcast
Freakonomics
Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin
Stuff You Should Know
The Thrilling Adventure Hour
99% Invisible
The New York Times Book Review
Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know
Snap Judgement
Mysteries Abound
Serial
New Tech City
The New Yorker: Out Loud
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
I’ve been painting portraits of authors. Mostly as exercises to stay sharp. Here are a few-
Jorge Luis Borges
Virginia Woolf
Fredrick Douglass
James Joyce
Stephen Fry
Haruki Murakami
Recently released covers for Cynthia Voigt’s Kingdom series from Atheneum Books.
Included below the final artwork are my concept sketches, submitted after reading the books. I always ask for manuscripts so that I can create concepts based on the story itself and not an art director’s impression of what they think it’s about. I typically push to come up with 50-60 cover ideas and submit around 5.
Tale of Oriel
Sketch – the story of a kid determined to make his fortune and his friend on an adventure to find the fabled Kingdom. Editors had me remove the friend and place Oriel on a boat.
Tale of Gwyn
Sketch – this story about a masked vigilante and a girl who decides to embody his mission.
Tale of Elske
Sketch – the main character in the story overcomes her past with the brutal Wolfer tribe. I was really excited about capturing both her defiant expression juxtaposed with the giant wolf silhouette. Editors pushed for colorization. I’m not sure the wolf is as clear with her being a solid form.
Tale of Birle
My artwork was killed and will not be published with the set.
Sketches – my first presentation of ideas included the main characters on water, which fit the story well, but the editors had insisted Oriel be on a boat, so didn’t want to repeat it.
Previous title was On Fortune’s Wheel, so presented options in keeping with the rise and fall of the characters.
Approved sketch – originally the couple was on the run, which made more sense for the story than having them go for a lovely stroll in the woods, as was revised for the final.
I presented an initial idea of connecting the four covers visually. This ended up becoming a portrait of The Kingdom along the spines.
This was a trying year-long project. While the experience was not positive, I am enjoying the other series that have been keeping me busy. I look forward to doing more good work for good publishers.
Not infrequently fans of my work request permission to get my paintings tattooed on their bodies. I almost always say sure, go for it. With one condition- to please seek out the most skilled tattooist they can. I received this recently, which is a heck of a job capturing my brushstrokes. Hats off to the inker. Let this be a point of reference.
Appreciating all the support
Thrilled to have my new work featured on Colossal today.
