Phylo Art Exhibit in Vancouver, BC!

This week, the HiVE in Vancouver will be hosting an exhibit featuring some of the artwork from the educational card game, "Phylo". Among the artwork featured will be my own Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.  The HiVE also plans on having a special event on July 6 where you can play the Phylo game and enter a raffle for various pieces of art, my Hummingbird included.  If you are in the area, please give the HiVE a visit and show your support!

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Sketch of the Day

Why yes, she can draw humans too. (Not well, mind you.)

"It All Started With a Mouse" progress photos -and- something else to freak out about

Well, first of all, I have to share a very proud and awesome moment in case you missed it.
I woke up from the hangover after finishing Don Bluth Month to see a new comment on the last entry. It was from Kip Goldman, associate producer for Don Bluth Films -- and he said "We've" been reading my "nice blog about Don" the whole time.
My hands managed to type out a nice "thank you" response, while the rest of me was doing this:

I just... I'm still in fangirl-awe. So happy!
Speaking of things that are crazy and awesome. It's crazy and awesome to think that I was sitting at my desk about a year ago throwing in my hat as an illustrator for the Comicbook Artist Guild's then-untitled "Prose Project". And it's pretty hard to remember the process of creating my contribution to the project, now known as Worlds Beyond. Thankfully, I took some photographs of the various steps in the making of the illustration for the short story, "It All Started With a Mouse", by Joe Sergi:



Here's the layout sketch. It's the outcome of several days worth of finding every retro-Walt Disney World / Disneyland promotional poster I could find just so I could get the style down (the story is set in an affectionate parody of Walt Disney World where some strange stuff is going on). A few of the characters would be eliminated and some of the more elaborate designs in the background would be streamlined, but as you'll see, there is a very direct line from this drawing to the final.



Here's the final line drawing. I now had to imitate the colorful look of Disney posters - using only high-contrast black-and-white ink washes. Quite the challenge, I must say.



And here is what I'll call the "almost-final". The biggest and most obvious differences between this and the printed version are the lack of text on the banner and that the image hasn't been cropped yet. Other than that, it is very, very close to the final.



And here is the final version as it appears in the book. I hope this kind of thing never stops being emotional for me. Worlds Beyond may be purchased at eCrater. Get yourself a couple of copies and spread the love around.

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Cartoon Brew recently dug up this Disney promotional literature from circa 1989. And it is deeply bizarre and fascinating in a way that I have a hard time describing without spoiling things. I'll just say that it's the starkest evidence for the Disney/Warner Bros. rivalry I've ever seen.

Drawgasmic is Twelve Hours Away!

Literally, in my case, as it's in St. Louis Missouri and I am in Massachusetts and unable to attend in person. Which sucks, however the website sort of acts like a virtual gallery (my page is here). Also, there is a book coming out the same day, so there really is no excuse not to support the participating artists, like myself, in some way or other.

Here's information shamelessly swiped from their website:

"The Drawgasmic exhibition and book is an effort to expose, promote, and push forward the work of international independent artists, illustrators, and designers working today. We, as curators, are trying to create the sort of experience we feel is missing in the in the all to often pompous and institutionalized art world. An experience that combines the talent of hundreds of great artists with a mash-up of unique performances.

"We are excited to be able to document the entire collection in a quality, limited edition coffee table book. The book will exist as a historical marker of the unique styles and concepts being created by living and working artists of 2010. This book is being released in conjunction with the exhibition in July 2010.

"Located at 2720 Cherokee Street St. Louis MO 63118, 4 blocks west of Jefferson. From Highway 40 or 44, take Jefferson South to Cherokee Street and make a right. They are 4 blocks down on the left.

"2720 Cherokee is a place for music, art, shopping, events, parties, socializing, drinking, relaxing, learning, expressing and more. In addition to bringing you the work of so many amazing artists in the Drawgasmic Exhibition, we will also be filling the night with other unique artistic acts, bands, performers, and personalities. We're installing webcams and will be streaming the gallery live all night. We will also be airing a live video-cast for your viewing pleasure!

"Why the name 'Drawgasmic'? If you're an artist you'll understand the awesome feeling you get from creating new work and viewing inspiring art! That, my friend, is a drawgasm... So the name is pretty spot on... and hilarious sounding too"