Richard Tuschman Images

Printed Louis L’Amour Covers

2012-01-22T11:24:00.009-05:00

So for the past year and a half or so I have been working on this amazing project creating new cover images for the entire library of Louis L'Amour western novels and short stories. There are about 120 total, I have finished 14 so far. Here are the first seven covers as printed.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L'AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

photo of riders: © Robert Plotz

photo of cowboy on horse: © Daniel Lobo
photo of extra horse: © Jodi Jacobson

Recent Louis L’Amour Cover Images

2011-09-24T20:57:00.009-04:00

Two more cover images for the Louis L’Amour western novels that Random House is repackaging. Above is Lonigan (thank you Cathie Bleck, for loaning me the awesome cow skull). I never knew how to tie a noose before—it is amazing what you can learn on the internet. Below is the photo montage for Law of the Desert Born.

The background desert and vulture are stock images that I combined with the boot I photographed.

desert image: © Jim Feliciano iStock Photo
vulture: © Peter Malsbury iStock Photo

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L‘AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

Recent Projects

2011-06-25T14:37:00.013-04:00

Child of the Mountains, by Marilyn Sue Shank, is a middle-grade novel about the struggles of a girl growing poor in the 1950’s in Appalachia. I had recently taken taken a number of landscape photos of the region on a road trip from Florida to Ohio, so I had the background ready to go. It was just a matter of photographing the model to match, and some careful compositing.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: VIKKI SHEATSLEY

Above is the cover photograph for Riding For The Brand, a collection of western short stories by Louis L’Amour.

Below is the cover montage for another Louis L’Amour western title, Tucker, this one a novel. The cowboy, horses, and ship I culled from stock, the landscape is mine. In this case I found the stock photos first, then shot the beach scene to match found images.

cowboy on horse © Daniel Lobo
extra horse on beach © Jodi Jacobson
ship: unknown photographer

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L’AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

Below are two unpublished comps for a novel, Bird Sisters, by Rebecca Rasmussen. The story centers on the relationship of two sisters growing up in small town Wisconsin in the late 1940’s.

CLIENT: CROWN PUBLISHING
ART DIRECTOR: JESSIE SAYWARD BRIGHT

Below is the cover image for The Exceptionals, by Erin Cashman. This teen fantasy novel reminded me slightly of an American Harry Potter. It is a battle of good vs. evil, and the protagonist, a fifteen year-old girl who can communicate telepathically with animals, attends a boarding school in New England, where all of the students have special powers.

CLIENT: HOLIDAY HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: CLAIRE COUNIHAN

Cover for “Dark Passage”

2011-05-11T09:44:00.003-04:00

This is the cover image for a historical/fantasy teen novel, by M.J. Putney, set in Regency England. The tunnel is a 4" x 7" x 60" model made from balsa wood, cardboard, spackle and sand, then painted with acrylic. Below are some of the unretouched photos of the tunnel. I photographed it first with a small figurine in place of the live model, so that I could match the lighting as closely as possible when I photographed the live model.

CLIENT: ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
ART DIRECTOR: ANGELA GODDARD

Cover for “War Party”

2011-02-27T21:05:00.004-05:00

War Party is another collection of Louis L’Amour western short stories being repackaged by Random House. Thanks to Sarasota Architectural Salvage for the cool wagon wheel.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L’AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

Next Louis L'Amour Short Story Covers

2011-02-03T21:24:00.009-05:00

Here are the approved cover images for the next two collections of Louis L'Amour western short stories, The Trail to Crazy Man, and The Rider of Ruby Hills, respectively.

Below are four rejected comp images for the above titles. I liked them a lot, but the client felt they were way too gentle, and asked for more explicit dramatic tension.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L'AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

Louis L'Amour Western Short Stories

2010-12-26T19:55:00.004-05:00

I am currently working on an ongoing series of covers for Louis L'Amour western short stories and novels, which Random House is repackaging. L'Amour wrote over a hundred novels and short story collections, beginning in 1950 until his death in 1988. My understanding is that all of them are still in print. Below is the first approved cover collage. Below that are two of the unused preliminary ideas.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTORS: BEAU L'AMOUR, SCOTT BIEL

Returning Vets: The War Within

2010-10-21T19:52:00.003-04:00

Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have a difficult time readjusting to family life, especially those with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries. That was the subject for this illustration for the Military Officers Association of America, in which I am trying to convey the vulnerability and isolation many veterans and their families struggle with.

CLIENT: MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
ART DIRECTOR: ROSE RICHEY

Summer of Tough Love

2010-10-10T10:51:00.006-04:00

Oh, I have been a bad blogger, I have not posted in over two months. I have been busy, which is always nice. Unfortunately, several of my recent efforts—for various reasons— never made it to press. Here are three projects which all died a premature death at comp stage:

These are two variations of a poster for a production of A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis:

CLIENT: GUTHRIE THEATRE, SPOTCO DESIGN
ART DIRECTOR: DARREN COX

This is a sketch and two comps for a novel about a dying young woman and an introverted, emotionally wounded young man transformed by love.

CLIENT: PICADOR
ART DIRECTOR: LEEANN FALCIANI

And here are two rejected versions of a paperback cover edition of a best-selling novel:

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: ROBBIN SCHIFF, PAOLO PEPE

“The Pirate Captain's Daughter” Book Jacket

2010-07-10T22:14:00.005-04:00

In this young adult novel by Eve Bunting, fifteen year-old Catherine disguises herself as a cabin boy to join her father on his pirate ship. Told in the first person, the book reads like an historical diary, vividly portraying the nuances and flavor of the time and place, as well as capturing the coming of age and emotional life of Catherine.

We explored a several options in the sketches below, eventually deciding on the close-up of Catherine, with the torn historical map as a border. Many thanks to my model, Lily L., for making a perfect Catherine.

CLIENT: SLEEPING BEAR PRESS
ART DIRECTOR: JENNIFER BACHELLER

God of the Desert Illustration

2010-06-21T21:45:00.003-04:00

Writer Richard Rodriguez' new book is about the role of the desert in the formation of the Abrahamic religions. This illustration accompanied a profile of the author in Sojourner magazine. Art director Ed Spivey, Jr. left the concept up to me, as long as I included an image of a desert and a photo of Rodriguez. I was visiting family in Ohio while I was working on this project, and while Ohio is very flat, it really is not a desert. So I made a very mini-desert in my mother's garage for the illustration, which was fun.

CLIENT: SOJOURNER MAGAZINE
ART DIRECTOR: ED SPIVEY, JR.

“Beautiful Disaster” Book Jacket

2010-04-01T20:35:00.002-04:00

Beautiful Disaster, by Laura Spinella, is a romance/suspense novel set in Athens, Georgia. Art Director Rita Frangie asked for a romantically beautiful country road scene with a lone figure and a motorcycle in the distance. The tricky part for me was making the southwest Florida countryside look like northern Georgia. Some diligent location scouting and Photoshop helped me out on that score.

CLIENT: BERKLEY BOOKS
ART DIRECTOR: RITA FRANGIE

“Edges” Book Cover Illustration

2010-02-25T12:27:00.006-05:00

Edges, by Léna Roy, is a coming-of-age novel for young adults set in the breathtaking canyons of Moab, Utah. In the story, two teens grapple with family relationships as well as addiction and recovery. Above is the finished artwork for the cover. Photo of the juniper tree and rocks© Cliff Walker iStock Photo.

CLIENT: FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX
ART DIRECTOR: ROBBIN GOURLEY

“Reserve Fund” Magazine Illustrations

2010-02-02T09:12:00.003-05:00

The financial crisis has affected not only individual homeowners, but condominium associations as well. Many of these associations find they do not have enough cash reserves to properly maintain their structures. Thus, many have fallen into disrepair, some to the point of having to be condemned. For this article on the subject, a cover image with some sort of “ticking clock” or hour glass was requested, along with an opening illustration suggesting the deterioration of the buildings. This was a fun one to work on because I love the look of objects and surfaces that are old and damaged. I made miniature sets out of dollhouse materials and created the damaged walls by covering cardboard with spackle and Golden Crackle Medium. Below are the original sketches presented.

CLIENT: COMMON GROUND MAGAZINE
ART DIRECTOR: CORI CANADY

“Sackett Brand” Book Cover Montage

2010-02-02T08:55:00.005-05:00

This was to be the first of a series of six cover illustrations for reprints of Louis L’Amour western novels. The idea was to recreate the look of the great photos Edward Curtis made of western subjects and landscapes. Art director Scott Biel requested five cowboys riding towards the viewer with a “black mesa” in the background. The montage was built from the stock photos below, along with my own sky images and hand-painted textures. Unfortunately, the series has been put on indefinite hold.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: SCOTT BIEL

“Twenty Gold Falcons” Book Jacket

2009-12-27T08:37:00.004-05:00

The middle-grade novel, “Twenty Gold Falcons”, by Amy Gordon, is a fun read with lots of unusual characters and plot twists. A spunky twelve-year old girl and her two friends search for lost gold coins, and my art director, Claire Counihan, said she wanted the cover to convey “the thrill of the search”. There were many visual themes running through the book–gold coins, old clocks, opera, sumptuous wealth, along with actual falcons. There is also a scene with a flashlight, and I felt that depicting the protagonist shining a flashlight would be the best way to show the idea of a search.

Below are the sketches in the order I did them. Since I love birds, I wanted to include the image of a falcon along with the character shining the light (first sketch), but the concensus was that the image was confusing, so I replaced the falcon with “hidden” gold coins (second sketch). This was an improvement, but Claire suggested I make the character crawling towards to add drama, which seemed to do the trick (final revised sketch) . I also could not resist adding some red velvet curtains to suggest both wealth and the opera. Special thanks to Grace, my fine young model.

CLIENT: HOLIDAY HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: CLAIRE COUNIHAN

Caregiver Support Illustration

2009-12-22T17:40:00.002-05:00

I did this montage a couple of months ago, I just haven't had much time to post lately, which I guess is a good thing(!).

It has been well documented the difficult time wounded Iraq War vets have struggling with brain injuries and the psychological wounds of combat. The stress on their caregivers, usually parents and spouses, has received somewhat less attention. This illustration accompanied the transcript of a panel discussion addressing support services available for these caregivers. Special thanks to my friends and neighbors Eric and Pedreia for posing for this piece.

CLIENT: MILITARY OFFICER MAGAZINE
ART DIRECTOR: JILL AKERS

“Moon Over Manifest” Book Cover

2009-11-17T21:46:00.002-05:00

The year is 1936, and the protagonist, Abilene Tucker, is in most ways a typical eleven year-old girl in Moon Over Manifest, the middle-grade debut novel by Clare Vanderpool. What is unusual is that Abilene’s single-parent father is a hobo, and as the story begins, she has spent the last several years of her childhood happily riding the rails with him.

For the cover, art director Vikki Sheatsley asked for a shot of Abilene walking down the Kansas railroad tracks. The hardest part was finding the right model (thank you, Kate!) and setting. The most labor-intensive task was aging the overalls. The rest pretty much took care of itself.

CLIENT: RANDOM HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: VIKKI SHEATSLEY

NY Times “House Of Dreams” Illustration

2009-10-11T13:19:00.002-04:00

Apparently, trying to buy the “house of your dreams” in this economic climate can lead to actual nightmares, and that is the subject of the article this illustration accompanied in the Home section of the NY Times. For me, subject matter does not get any better than this, so I really tried to have fun with it. The final montage was created by combining a photograph of the “sleeping” model with a table top set I created, along with some images from my archives for the background. Below are the rough sketches I originally presented.

ART DIRECTOR: KEN McFARLIN
CLIENT: NEW YORK TIMES

"A Very Cold War" illustration

2009-09-21T14:49:00.004-04:00

So it turns out that the U.S., Canada, Norway, Denmark, and Russia are all vying for property rights to oil reserves in the Arctic Circle. Hence the title of the feature this illustration accompanied, “A Very Cold War”. The idea of divvying up an “arctic pie” seemed somewhat obvious but irresistible to me. The most fun was making the frosted window treatment by mixing beer and epsom salts, details of which can be found on many how-to sites. Okay, so the studio smelled like a brewery for a few days, but it passes. Below are the two rough sketches presented.

CLIENT: MILITARY OFFICER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
ART DIRECTOR: LYNNE WOYCHIK

Tech Survey Illustrations for Internal Auditor

2009-07-28T15:59:00.007-04:00

Below is a series of four illustrations for the Technology/Software issue of Internal Auditor Magazine. The biggest challenge in these kinds of jobs is to present very familiar themes and relatively dry content in a fresh way. I often respond by marrying organic symbols and images to the dry material, in this case different kinds of birds and a handmade “data” globe. Below the illustrations are the two sets of sketches presented, including an alternate set with a “flower” theme.

CLIENT: INSTITUTE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS/YACINSKI DESIGN
ART DIRECTOR: JOSEPH YACINSKI

Unpublished Cover: The Cross Gardener

2009-06-15T17:24:00.006-04:00

Another one that got away, and alas, will not see the light of Amazon, at least not in this guise. The Cross Gardener, by Jason F. Wright, interweaves themes of loss, grief, and healing as a young father struggles to deal with the sudden death of his beloved wife. Designer Annette Fiore-DeFex requested a bucolic image with a picket fence, some vegetation, and possibly a path. Above are two of the comps presented.

CLIENT: BERKLEY BOOKS
ART DIRECTOR: ANNETTE FIORE-DeFEX

“Cartagena Paper Girl” Book Cover Illustration

2009-05-28T10:06:00.003-04:00

The Cartagena Paper Girl, by Iris Gomez, explores the themes of immigrant Latino culture, family relations, and mental illness, set against the backdrop of 1970's Miami. In the story, the teenage daughter, Gabi, struggles to hold her family together as her once stable father, Roberto, descends helplessly into madness.

Art director Brigid Pearson requested an image of Gabi swinging around the family's backyard Mango tree, fading into a background texture of classified want-ads, which her father repeatedly forces Gabi to scour.

I think I must have searched out and photographed just about every Mango tree in Sarasota, and I never did find the perfect one, so in the end I had to make a composite of many, many Mango trees, which is what you see here. Fortunately, the want-ads and the young woman were easier to find.

CLIENT: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
ART DIRECTOR: BRIGID PEARSON

“Day of the Pelican” Book Jacket Illustration

2009-05-20T16:24:00.004-04:00

The Day of the Pelican is another great read for young people. Written by Katherine Peterson, author of Bridge To Terabithia, the story recounts the difficult journey of a family from war-torn Kosovo to America, as told through the eyes of the adolescent daughter. An old framed family photograph, a prized keepsake, is burned in the senseless destruction and becomes a prominent symbol in the story. Above is the final cover, below are the original comps I presented. The photographs used are from my archives.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SHEILA SMALLWOOD

“Under A Red Sky” Book Jacket

2009-05-19T15:27:00.005-04:00

Anyone familiar with my work can't help but notice the recurring frame motif. This is probably the influence of Joseph Cornell, one of my favorite artists since I can remember. I have been making these little frames from balsa and basswood ever since a brief stint working in an architectural supply store many years ago.

For this moving young adult memoir, Under A Red Sky—Memoir of a Childhood In Communist Romania, by Haya Leah Molnar, the author provided me with lots of great black and white photographs taken by her father, a cinematographer. A collage of weathered frames seemed like a natural solution.

Above is the finished artwork, below are two alternate comps presented.

CLIENT: FARRAR, STRAUS, & GIROUX
ART DIRECTOR: JAY COLVIN

“Viney’s Mountain” Outtakes

2009-04-26T21:34:00.003-04:00

These are from the session with the model for the On Viney's Mountain book cover.

Lily Prints

2009-04-20T18:21:00.003-04:00

I am working on a series of montages based on photographs I recently shot of some lilies. Here are the first four:

One That Got Away: “The Last Song” Book Jacket

2009-04-12T20:15:00.008-04:00

I don’t normally get calls for mass-market titles, so it was a bit of a disappointment when this cover for best-selling author, Nicholas Sparks, didn't work out. Well, apparently they are still using the torn-edged paper panel with the faded music for the title type, so I guess it is not a total loss. The Last Song (the title may change) is the story of a young woman who falls in love for the first time while spending the summer with her estranged, (secretly) dying father, who lives on the North Carolina shore. No explicit imagery for the cover, just something beautiful and beachy. I am told the author liked these comps, but felt they were not quite consistent with the cleaner look normally associated with his titles. Hard to argue with that.

CLIENT: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
ART DIRECTORS: ANNE TWOMEY, FLAG TONUZI

"Crazy School" Book Jacket Illustration

2009-03-31T13:36:00.005-04:00

I had bought these butterflies online a couple of years ago, thinking they would soon start showing up in my work, but instead they just sat there on the wall. So I was happy to get a call from Brigid Pearson at Grand Central Publishing, requesting a butterfly image for the cover of the novel, The Crazy School, by Cornelia Read.

In this comic drama, the gates to the Santangelo Academy for Emotionally Disturbed Teenagers are adorned with a wrought-iron butterfly. Above is the finished cover (type design by Brigid Pearson), and below are the comps I presented initially.

CLIENT: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
ART DIRECTOR: BRIGID PEARSON

“On Viney’s Mountain” Book Jacket

2009-03-26T14:31:00.004-04:00

On Viney’s Mountain, a young adult novel by Joan Donaldson, is the story of a young woman's coming of age in late nineteenth century Tennessee.

The art director asked for an image of the character in her environment. Due to logistical limitations, photographing the model in the actual setting was not possible. To get around this, in the past I have either constructed a diarama, such as in Snow Angels; or, I have created a virtual environment in Photoshop from personal photos as in Crossing Stones. In either case, the figure is photographed separately, attempting to match the lighting as closely as possible, then stripped in on the computer.

In this case, I decided to create the environment in Photoshop from personal photos, because I had some images of trees I really liked. The problem was that I ended up having to shoot the model in her apartment because it was about 10 degrees outside, and the text demanded she be barefoot. So, despite my best efforts, I ended up with the dreaded inconsistency in lighting, where the lighting on the model does not quite match the lighting on the environment. This gives the somewhat odd effect that she is walking across a stage set, rather than the actual environment, though I still like the image.

Below are the original concept sketches submitted.

CLIENT: HOLIDAY HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: CLAIRE COUNIHAN

“Age 14” Book Cover

2009-03-05T21:54:00.005-05:00

In the young adult novel, Age 14, by Geert Spillebeen, a fourteen year-old working class Irish boy impersonates his older brother to enlist in the army in World War I. Before long, he is sent to the front lines in Belgium, where the nightmarish reality of life (and death) in the trenches quickly obliterates any romantic fantasies of military glory.

Below are the initial sketches shown. The client chose the last sketch, with the only request being to change the helmets to hats. The author pointed out that at the time of story, 1915, the soldiers were not yet wearing helmets. It was only after huge numbers of shrapnel head injuries occurred early in the war, that helmets were then provided. Thanks to the excellent reference provided by the author, I was able to closely approximate the exact uniform the Irish soldiers wore.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SCOTT MAGOON

“For God And Country” Book Jacket

2009-02-25T10:07:00.004-05:00

The novel, For God And Country, by Jerome Prescott, is set in present day war-torn Iraq, where a gallant and dedicated American army chaplain ministers to battle weary soldiers. Much of the chaplain’s time, though, is spent alternately praying and dodging bullets. Above is the finished artwork, and below are the sketches. I like to challenge myself, but still felt lucky they chose the 2nd sketch, which was by far the easiest to produce.

CLIENT: BERKLEY BOOKS
ART DIRECTOR: RITA FRANGIE

“Seen The Glory” final cover

2009-02-25T09:49:00.004-05:00

This is the final approved version of the cover discussed in the December 9, 2008 post. Below are the various solutions proposed previously. The author pointed out that I had placed the gun on the wrong shoulder, and also that the hammer mechanism on the musket was historically inaccurate (oh, you experts). With the author's helpful reference, I replaced the hammer, and we flopped the photo to get the gun on the proper shoulder (thus, I also had to place the hammer on the other side of the musket).

CLIENT: SIMON & SCHUSTER
ART DIRECTOR: MICHAEL ACCORDINO

“Second Nature” Book Jacket

2009-02-18T10:28:00.007-05:00

In Alice Hoffman’s novel, Second Nature, a woman falls in love with a man who has been raised by wolves. Published several years ago in hardback, this cover is for the paperback edition.

Berkley Books art director, Lesley Worrell, asked for an image that would suggest the romantic, whimsical aspects of the book. Below are the initial pencil roughs.

After choosing sketch D, the image below was my first crack at the finish. Although I felt pretty good about the image, which I created largely from images in my archives, Lesley felt strongly the woman appeared too sad, and also asked for much more color, along with more conventional “forest” foliage. Given the changes requested, I felt the only way to fix the problem was really to start again from scratch., so that is what I did, with a new model and different foliage. At top is the final approved piece.

CLIENT: BERKLEY BOOKS
ART DIRECTOR: LESLEY WORRELL

“Aging And The Brain” illo for U. of Miami

2008-12-30T20:30:00.006-05:00

This illustration accompanies an article that discusses strategies for maintaining and extending cognitive longevity as one ages. Exercise, diet, and intellectual activities are important components in staying sharp. The art director, Scott Fricker, wanted an image that stressed these strategies. He specifically asked for distressed textures, a favorite technique of mine, but without appearing dark or ominous. Probably the most frequently asked question from art directors over the years has been, “ I really like your work, but can you make it less dark?” I felt I struck a pretty good balance here. Below are the two rough sketches presented.

CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (FL)
ART DIRECTOR: SCOTT FRICKER

Work In Progess: “Seen The Glory” book cover

2008-12-09T10:13:00.005-05:00

In this Civil War novel, by John S. Hough, Jr., two teenage brothers leave the relative comforts of their Martha's Vineyard home to join the Union Army, ultimately leading to their participation in the notoriously bloody Battle of Gettysburg. Meticulously researched, the book provides a riveting look at both military life and the societal conflicts that marked the period.

Below are the original sketches, and above are three versions of the finished artwork. This one is still pending approval. At one point, as the various props were arriving at our house, my wife said to me, “Please tell me you didn't buy that musket.” No, just rented.

CLIENT: SIMON AND SCHUSTER
ART DIRECTOR: MICHAEL ACCORDINO

“Escape By Sea” Book Cover

2008-11-29T20:20:00.003-05:00

Escape By Sea, a young adult historical novel by L.S. Lawrence, takes place during the Carthaginian-Roman wars. Sara, the fifteen year-old daughter of a wealthy Carthaginian senator, transforms herself by force of circumstance, from an over-protected child into a leader of men during a time of war. I had not done anything from this time period before, so it was fun doing the research to get the styling and scenery right. A bit of a challenge, too, since apparently there is practically no surviving art from the culture of ancient Carthage. In the end, I created the costume based on a synthesis of Roman and pre-Islamic Arabic dress. The model was photographed against a white backdrop, and the background created separately from images in my archives. Then the two images were composited in Photoshop.

CLIENT: HOLIDAY HOUSE
ART DIRECTOR: CLAIRE COUNIHAN

Oberlin Alumni Magazine Cover

2008-11-18T23:15:00.003-05:00

Oberlin College has embraced environmental sustainability as a core aspect of what its students should learn. The cover story of this issue of the alumni magazine discussed the many initiatives now underway at the College, including innovations in waste water treatment, use of locally grown produce, energy use monitoring, a solar parking pavilion, and an exceptionally bike-friendly campus.

They wanted a cover image suggesting a variety of these initiatives, so that details could be pulled out for use as spot illustrations throughout the article. Below are the original rough sketches presented.

CLIENT: OBERLIN COLLEGE/KELEMAN DESIGN
ART DIRECTOR: BOB KELEMAN

“Crossing Stones” Book Cover

2008-11-17T17:34:00.003-05:00

Though the conventional wisdom in cover design is to avoid having the visual literally duplicate the title, I felt I could not avoid it for this young adult novel told in verse form. Set in rural Michigan in the year 1918, Crossing Stones, by Helen Frost, follows the intertwined lives of two pairs of young adult siblings all struggling to find their paths in life. World War I, the flu pandemic, and the women’s Suffragette movement all figure prominently in the story. The over-riding tone of the book is heartfelt and bittersweet, and this is what I tried to convey in the artwork.

After the concept was nailed down and approved, my biggest challenge was finding the right setting to make the photographs for the montage. Though, as luck would have it, I am very familiar with rural Michigan. Unfortunately, I live now in southwest Florida, which bears little resemblance. For one thing, while there are plenty of creeks here (and no palm trees in Michigan), there are virtually no creeks here with stones. In the final image, I was able to use a creek I shot near my house, but the stones were added using a tabletop still life I made for the project. The model was shot separately in a park nearby, and the rest of the landscape was added with images from my archives.

CLIENT: FARRAR, STRAUS, & GIROUX
ART DIRECTOR: JAY COLVIN

“When I Crossed No-Bob” Book Jacket

2008-11-06T17:53:00.006-05:00

In this middle-grade novel, When I Crossed No-Bob, by Margaret McMullen, 12 year-old Addy O’Donnell struggles to break free from her troubled family amid the poverty and devastation of post Civil War Mississippi.

After submitting the sketches below, the publisher decided it would be best to show the character on the cover. As it turned out, the most difficult part of the job was finding the right girl. I have no idea how many candidates’ photos I emailed to the art director for approval. In the end, I drove 200 miles to photograph the girl above.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SHEILA SMALLWOOD

“Gambling Addiction” illustrations

2008-10-13T17:03:00.006-04:00

Experts refer to video slot machines as the “crack cocaine of gambling”, because of their powerfully addictive nature. Bankruptcy, broken relationships, and even suicide are all too often costs of the addiction. For this feature story in Rhode Island Monthly profiling one woman's battle to stay “clean”, art director Ellen Dessloch wanted an image with a human presence that was sad, but not dark. She liked the idea I came up of lemons as an organic symbol of the futility and loss associated with slot machines. Above are the finished full-page opener and spot illustrations. Below are the sketches submitted.

CLIENT: RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY
ART DIRECTOR: ELLEN DESSLOCH

“Irene Dos Santos” Book Jacket

2008-09-22T17:26:00.009-04:00

The Disappearance of Irene Dos Santos, by Margaret Mascarenhas, explores themes of love, truth, and belonging through the character of a free-spirited fifteen year-old girl who one day disappears into the Venezuelan jungle. The art director requested an image of the character in her white dress and red shoes walking into the lush, green jungle. Not much Photoshop in this one, one or two layered textures and some hand coloring. For the type treatment, I was inspired by Latin American cigar boxes.

Above is the finished artwork, and below are the original sketches presented.

CLIENT: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING
ART DIRECTOR: BRIGID PEARSON

“Internal Auditor” Spot Portraits

2008-09-18T21:46:00.011-04:00

I did the above spot photo collage portraits for the great folks at Yacinski Design. They will appear on The Institute of Internal Auditor’s website. That last generic one will accompany the blog section on the site. It is an homage (with apologies) to a hero of mine, illustrator Malcolm Tarlofsky.

CLIENT: YACINSKI DESIGN, INSTITUTE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS
ART DIRECTOR: JOE YACINSKI

“Snow Angel” Illustrations

2008-09-11T09:46:00.005-04:00

Angels On Earth Magazine wanted an image of an angel in a snow globe for this year's upcoming holiday issue, plus an additional variation for a second illustration. As props go, snow globes are not too hard to find, shrinking the model was much tougher (and I appreciate her patience).

CLIENT: ANGELS ON EARTH MAGAZINE
ART DIRECTOR: JAMES CONRAD

Recent Work: “Someone Named Eva” Book Jacket

2008-08-03T20:42:00.004-04:00

Inspired by actual events in World II, this middle-grade novel tells the story of an eleven year-old Czech girl, who, because of her Aryan features, is taken from her family by German soldiers for “Germanization”– to be re-educated, renamed, and adopted by a German Nazi family.

The art director asked for a fairly straight forward treatment, somehow using a close-up of the character, with perhaps a distressed texture somewhere to evoke the historical nature of the book. As luck would have it, I happened to have in my archives some photos I took a few years ago of a young girl which seemed to match the character perfectly. Below are two of the alternated ideas presented.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SHEILA SMALLWOOD

Recent Work: “Depression” Book Jacket Finish

2008-07-02T11:01:00.003-04:00

Just finished this artwork for Climbing Out Of Depression by Sue Atkins. The sketches for this project were posted on June 3rd. Again, the publisher chose sketch A. It seems as though about 85 percent of the time sketch A gets the nod. I am really not sure if my best ideas usually come first, or maybe there just is something about that letter “A”? Anyone else out there have a similar experience?

The concept came to me fairly quickly. The tricky part was executing it convincingly. The final image was created with a combination of table-top photography, previously shot personal photos, and Photoshop.

CLIENT: TARCHER/PENGUIN
ART DIRECTOR: DAVID WALKER

Recent Work: “Cashay” Book Jacket Finish

2008-07-02T10:26:00.005-04:00

This is the finished version for the middle-grade novel, the sketches for which were shown in my June 3rd post. As you can see, the publisher went with sketch A, the only change being the stock photo of the girl. I tried shooting a couple of different models, which is always my preference, but the publisher really liked this photo.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SHEILA SMALLWOOD

Moving: Life Among The Boxes

2008-07-02T10:00:00.006-04:00

I have not posted much recently because I have been in the process of moving from Boston to Sarasota, Florida, where my wife has a new job. I am now safely ensconced in the Sunshine State, and slowly digging myself out from under all of the boxes. I love the palm trees, ocean, and weird new plants and long-legged birds. Okay, it is a bit humid.

Recent Work: Hand-Drawn Style Personal Piece

2008-06-09T20:50:00.003-04:00

Even though I refer to this style as “hand-drawn”, it really is mixed media digital collage. The backgrounds and figures are created by hand, but separately, then merged in Photoshop, along with texture overlays. It seems to give me more latitude, and drawing the figure separately feels less precious to me. I have been working in Photoshop for so many years that it has become a natural composition tool for me.

Recent Work: “Depression” Sketches

2008-06-03T06:18:00.007-04:00

Originally published some years ago, Penguin wanted an updated cover for the upcoming paperback reprint of Climbing Out Of Depression, a popular self-help book. They liked a self-help cover I designed and illustrated for them about a year ago, A Blessing In Disguise, and wanted a similar look (with fortunately much less type). Here are the sketches presented.

Recent Work:“Cashay” Book Jacket Sketches

2008-05-28T17:14:00.002-04:00

The impoverished housing projects of Chicago provide the backdrop for this middle-grade novel about about a teenage girl struggling to overcome the violent death of her younger sister and her mother’s spiraling drug addiction. I tried experimenting with layers of urban textures I photographed to set the tone. I like these sketches, but I am currently working on revised versions which focus on the girl’s face.

CLIENT: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
ART DIRECTOR: SHEILA SMALLWOOD

Recent Work: “The Adversary” Book Jacket

2008-05-16T15:08:00.007-04:00

The latest episode in the “Inspector Nergui” crime-thriller series by Michael Walters, The Adversary, like its predecessor, The Shadow Walker, is set in modern day Mongolia. Hard-boiled, film-noir, and shadowy were all words that quickly came to mind while thinking about this book. I thought the idea of a sort of mystery figure facing the glare of oncoming headlights on a lonely road would set the mood, as well as reflect the content of the text.

For the finish, my idea was to photograph the figure (me) facing the headlights all in one take. I could not get the light I wanted on the figure, though, plus it was getting really cold that night. So I ended up shooting the figure in the studio and pasting it digitally into the scene. Though I did not use the photos, it was still useful to have actual photos of the figure in the scene for lighting reference when re-shooting the figure in the studio.

Above is the finish, and below are all of the original sketches presented.

CLIENT: BERKLEY BOOKS
ART DIRECTOR: RITA FRANGIE

Recent Work: Integrative Medicine Illustration

2008-05-01T12:57:00.003-04:00

In addition to conventional western medical treatment, “Integrative Medicine” includes holistic practices, yoga, meditation, and traditional herbal Chinese medicine. I have tried to suggest this blending of east and west by intertwining western medical instruments with a medicinal herb plant. A pair of “healing hands” suggesting massage reaches up from below.

Client: Connecticut Magazine
Art Director: Joan Barrow

Recent Work: Cyber Terrorism illustration

2008-05-01T12:51:00.003-04:00

With almost every sector of our government and the economy dependent on technology, many experts argue that an attack in cyberspace poses as great a threat to our national security as a military attack. In this illustration, I have used a hand holding a computer mouse with a lit fuse to make the point. The background portrays the “information”grid under threat.

Client: Military Officer Magazine
Art Director: Kitty Weiss

Recent Work: Dreamer At Work

2008-04-14T14:01:00.005-04:00

For book jacket portfolio pieces, I often work backwards. I will start with an image, then make up a title to go with it. This image was montaged with elements from my archives. I think I had recently been looking at Joseph Cornell. I like the image, though it was a bit of a challenge to figure out how to center it. I was trying not to get too flowery with the type, but I am still undecided about it.

Recent Work: “Smoke” Book Jacket Finish

2008-04-12T18:57:00.006-04:00

The art director, editor, and author all liked sketch A (minus the border), with the cat looking out over the landscape (see previous Smoke sketches entry of March 17). As luck would have it, the description of the cat in the book perfectly matched my cat, Smithers, so I had my model (of course, this has completely gone to his head, and he is absolutely impossible now).

The first step in creating the finished art was to make the background. I created this in Photoshop by blending some personal landscape photos and adjusting the color. Next, I made the fence with strips of balsa wood, “weathered” with acrylic paint. I then set up a small still-life in my homemade lighting box of the fence against a printout of the background, and photographed the scene. I try to do as much as I can of the piece before I get to Photoshop, so the scene looks as natural as possible. The silhouetted Smithers, texture layers, and colors were then added in Photoshop.

Recent Work: Five Million Lives

2008-04-11T13:21:00.005-04:00

This assignment was for Nursing Management Magazine’s feature on the Institute For Healthcare Improvement's Five Million Lives Campaign, an ambitious effort to save five million hospital patient lives over a two-year period through improved health-care practices. The illustration was to focus on the daunting scope of this challenge, rather than on any particular medical practices. Here are the sketches I submitted, and the finish. It is often a bit of a struggle for me to brighten my palette for these “upbeat” pieces, and this is something I am really trying to work on lately. I feel pretty good about this one. Art Director: Michael Trinsey.

Recent Work: “Smoke” Book Jacket Sketches

2008-03-17T19:37:00.010-04:00

Smoke is a middle grade novel by Mavis Jukes. In the story, twelve-year-old Colton moves from rural Idaho to a farm in northern California with his mom and his twenty-pound Maine Coon cat, Smoke. His parents are divorced, as his mother tries to start a new life. His dad is a rodeo performer, whom Colton idolizes, but rarely sees. In the story, themes of separation and longing are eventually balanced by the strength of family ties, community and the growth in awareness that increasing maturity brings. In the sketches I tried to suggest a sense of place, while evoking themes of melancholy and mystery.

The first sketch shows the cat, Smoke (who figures prominently in the plot), overlooking the California countryside. Notice the little rodeo rider in the “O”.

The second sketch shows a silhouette of Colton on a weathered wood background. In the story, an old license plate with bullet holes and a bronco-buster is one of Colton’s prized possessions. This is my favorite.

The third sketch shows Colton and Smoke overlooking their farmhouse. Sort of picturesque and melancholic. Not sure exactly how I would pull off this artwork if gets picked.

Fourth sketch focuses on the Western theme (probably too much).

The art director for this project is Robbin Gourley at Farrar, Straus, Geroux.

Experimental Stuff: Hand-Drawn Style

2008-03-17T08:51:00.003-04:00

For the past couple of months I have been playing around with a new hand-drawn style. I am always looking for new ways to depict figures, and my hope is this will give me more options, and a wider latitude in the types of projects I am able to take on. I like the idea of juxtaposing the hand-drawn images with the 3-D objects. Here are the first results:

Tutorial: Creating Distressed Type In Photoshop

2008-03-04T10:00:00.013-05:00

Here is a (fairly) simple way to create your own custom distressed type in Photoshop. This tutorial assumes an intermediate level of experience with Photoshop. This tutorial was created in version CS2 on a Mac.

1. Create a new, blank, 300 ppi grayscale document in Photoshop that comfortably fits your headline. Choose a font that has some weight to it, since we will be degrading it. In this example I have created a document 6”wide x 1.5”high, and with the type tool, typed the words “Custom Distressed Type For Headline”in 35pt Rockwell Bold (fig. A).

2. Flatten the file (layer menu>flatten image).

3. Invert the image (image menu>adjustments>invert) (fig. B)

4. Apply the Noise filter: go to Filter menu > Noise > Add Noise…, set the amount to 60%, the distribution to Gaussian. (fig.C)

5. Next, apply the Gaussian Blur filter: go to Filter menu > Blur > Gaussian Blur…, set the radius to 2.0 pixels. (fig. D)

6. At this point, we need to upsample (increase the resolution by interpolation) the image to 1200 ppi. This is because we are eventually going to the convert the image to line art (just black and white, no levels of gray), and line art requires a higher resolution than grayscale to avoid the “jaggies”. So, go to Image menu > Image Size, MAKE SURE the “resample” and “constrain proportion” checkboxes at the bottom are BOTH checked, and in the document size box, change resolution from 300 to 1200 pixels/inch. (fig. E) Click okay.

7. Next, we need to add a “Threshold” adjustment layer. Go to Layer menu > New Adjustment Layer > Threshold. In the first dialog box, labeled “New Layer” leave the default settings, click okay. In the second “Threshold”dialog box (fig.F), leave the slider set to the default “128”for now, click okay. As you can see, the threshold adjustment layer converts every pixel in the image to either black or white, depending on where the slider is set. We’ll come back to this in a minute to adjust this setting.

8. Almost done. Now, click on the Threshold adjustment layer you just created in the layers palette to make sure that it is the active layer. Then, add an “Invert” adjustment layer ON TOP of the “Threshold” adjustment layer, by going to Layer menu > New Adjustment Layer > Invert (in the dialog box labeled “New Layer”, leave the default settings, then click okay). This converts the type back to black on white. (fig. G)

9. Here is the fun part. To customize the amount of “distress”, in the Layers Palette, double click on the Threshold Adjustment layer icon (circle divided diagonally in half) to call up the Threshold dialog box. Experiment with moving the slider gradually to the right to increase the level of distress (fig. H). That’s it! If you want to tweak things further, try experimenting with the Gaussian Blur and Noise settings in steps 4 and 5. Impress your friends, and have fun.

Recent Work: Auditor Portraits

2008-02-20T19:23:00.003-05:00

Every other month I do a spot portrait of a featured expert profiled in Internal Auditor Magazine. I am given a few photographs to choose from and a manuscript of the interview. I understand little of the technical information, but I try to pick out a couple of elements to include in the illustration, whether it is a part of the globe, an acronym, or a type of currency. Here are a few samples from the past year or so.

Client: Yacinski Design
Art Director: Carol Hardy

Recent Work: Military Timeline

2008-02-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

This was a recent piece for creative director, Lynne Woychik, at Military Officer Magazine. The article discussed the media’s attitude towards the military throughout the history of the U.S. Lynne wanted a creative approach to the standard historical timeline. It’s always a bit more of a challenge for me when the client supplies all of the photographs, so I tried to have fun with the background, mimicking a sort of “Rauschenbergian” approach. Everything was pretty much built and painted traditionally, except for the photos and a few minor elements, which were added digitally.

Recent Work: Dead Flower Print

2008-02-05T16:32:00.000-05:00

This is a recent print I have been working on.

My wife and I love flowers. We are not gardeners, but we like them enough to buy fresh ones every week. I am always inspired by them, and I’ll say to myself, “boy, I’ve really got to draw those flowers,” or “I have to photograph those flowers.” But for some reason, I never get around to it until they are dying or dead. At first I thought this was just procrastination, but now I think I just like them in a state of decay. I felt better about this somewhat morbid preference after recently hearing this quote by the British novelist, Jim Crace, being interviewed on The Diane Rehm Show:

“[Many people today think of nature as consisting of] rainbows and nightingales and daffodils, things that look good and smell good. Actually, a greater truth about the natural world is that it is made up of compost, and until we start to recognize that the earth is made up of creatures and death and putrefaction and glorify that as well, we are going to lose touch with the world.”

Recent Work: “How Safe?” Illustrations

2008-01-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

These illustrations will appear on the cover and interior of the March/April issue of Common Ground Magazine. The title “How Safe?” refers to what extent a community can provide security to its residents, specifically how much security is enough and at what cost? Art director Mary Prestera Butler wanted me to come up with a symbol or metaphor that would express the emotions of fear and vulnerability along with specific content such as alarm stickers and video cameras. I came up with the image of a crow to represent the “criminal threat.” I love bird imagery, and I had been waiting for an opportunity to use these reference photos of crows I had taken some years ago. I am also tentatively trying to introduce a little hand-drawn imagery into the work, which I was able to do in the interior piece. Below are some of the stages of the final Photoshop composite for the cover image.

Texture Studies

2008-01-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

One look at my work will tell even the casual observer that I love texture. When I first began making montage illustrations in the early 1990’s, the background textures were all lifted from previously finished or half-finished paintings of mine. One thing I loved about digital montage was that it gave me a use for many unresolved works that maybe had small passages that I really liked. After a couple of years, I was doing more digital illustration than painting, and I ran out of paintings to pillage. So I began a practice of painting just backgrounds, and it remains one of the favorite parts of my job, a welcome antidote to staring at the computer screen ( something I must guiltily admit I also love). I like to use a variety of techniques, I think it fulfills my inner dilettante. Here are some samples from the last couple of weeks:

These were made by applying a fairly thick coat of Golden Crackle Paste to a sheet of heavy cold-press watercolor paper, left to dry completely. An acrylic wash is painted over that for a color foundation. A dark oil wash is the next layer, then, while not yet dry a thicker, more oily layer of white oil paint over that, with portions of the layers underneath left to show through. Sometimes I use a brush, sometimes a palette knife. I may add an oil glaze on top of these, but that’s another thing I like about the digital component; I can record and make use of progressive states.

The three above were made with Lazertran Inkjet transfer sheet waterslide decals. First, an image is printed on the transfer sheet (in this case, one of my previously painted textures). Coat the surface to which you will be applying the decal with turpentine gum spirits (must be real turpentine). Soak the decal in water, then slide the decal off the backing paper onto the surface. Use a rubber squeegee to firmly adhere the decal. My favorite part is that if you continue to gradually apply the turpentine to the decal after you squeegee it, it begins to decompose and crack in all these wonderful ways. You have to be careful, it’s easy to end up with nothing. The texture on the far right has some layers of varnish and oil glazes added later, which made it darker and richer.

No art supply alchemy to these last three, just good old acrylic and collage. Lots of layers, with varying degrees of transparency, some drawing. I am trying to move towards making use of the hand-painted backgrounds more as a compositional foundations, not just textures. Stay tuned...

Francis Ford Coppola and Self-Doubt

2008-01-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

We all have periods of self-doubt about our work. I felt better about my own small struggles after hearing this excerpt from an interview with Francis Ford Coppola by his wife, Eleanor, during the filming of his future masterpiece, Apocalypse Now. To say things were not going well would be an understatement. Martin Sheen was having a nervous breakdown on camera, Marlon Brando arrived on the set obese, Dennis Hopper could not remember his lines because he was strung out on who knows what, and production costs were forcing Coppola himself into bankruptcy:

“What I have to admit is that I don’t know what I’m doing… I don’t have any performances, the script doesn’t make sense, I have no ending… this is one crisis I’m not going to pull myself out of. I’m making a bad movie, so why should I go ahead? I’m going to be bankrupt anyway…why can’t I just have the courage to say it’s no good?”

—Francis Ford Coppola, on the set of Apocalypse Now,
from the documentary, Hearts of Darkness,
directed by Eleanor Coppola.

Recent Work: “No Pretty Pictures” Book Jacket

2007-12-24T17:28:00.000-05:00

This must be the month for holocaust book covers. No Pretty Pictures is the powerful wartime memoir of the well-known children's book artist, Anita Lobel. The project art director is Paul Zakris of Greenwillow Books.

Born into a Polish Jewish family in 1934, Lobel, along with her younger brother, spent most of WWII fleeing the Nazis in the Polish countryside before being sent to a concentration camp near the war's end. Miraculously, they were liberated in 1945 and eventually reunited with their parents.

Above is the finished artwork depicting the small "framed" figures of the author and her brother silhouetted on a lonely hillside. At right is the b&w photo (taken shortly after the war) which I used for the figures. To make the photograph of the figures in the landscape, I made a table top model and placed small colorized cutout figures (about 2 or 3 inches high) on the "hill" against a sky backdrop. Much of the detail ended up on the cutting room floor when I digitally added the frame, branches, and painted textures in the finish, but such is life.

My intention is for the weathered, hanging frame to suggest the abandoned possessions of the many victims, as well as to tie in with the title.

Recent Work: “T4” Book Jacket Final Art

2007-12-17T09:42:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished wraparound artwork for the T4 jacket (with many thanks to my striking young model), and how it will appear on the cover with the type treatment (see previous entry) The images of the hands on either side of the "T4" type are sign language for the title. This was the author's idea (nice touch!).

Work In Progress: “T4” Book Jacket

2007-12-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

T4, to be published by Houghton Mifflin, is a middle grade holocaust novel in verse by Ann Clare LeZotte.

T4 was the name given the Nazi plan to exterminate Germany’s mentally and physically disabled population. Derived from the address of its headquarters in Berlin, Tiergartenstrasse 4, the policy ended in 1941, but not before 270,000 people had been murdered and another 400,000 sterilized.

The book tells the story of Paula Becker, thirteen year-old German girl. Paula is deaf, and therefore a target of the T4 policy. Fleeing the Nazis, Paula spends two tense years in hiding before being reunited with her family.

The brief called for a cover that evoked history, without being depressing. Creative Director Sheila Smallwood suggested a subdued but appealing image of Paula. The brevity of the title gave me the opportunity for a type treatment that mimicked the Nazi swastika.

Above are the sketches presented on the left. On the right, are some photos used for reference and inspiration taken with my cell phone at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage exhibition, Deadly Medicine: Creating The Master Race.

A Five Step Brainstorming Process

2007-12-04T06:50:00.000-05:00

I have been creating conceptual illustrations for about fifteen years, and solving design problems longer than that. To generate ideas, over time I have developed this five step process which has worked well for me:

Immerse yourself in the material. Whether it is a book jacket, magazine illustration, or corporate brochure cover, I take time to really focus on the text. The amount of time will vary, of course, depending on the project. I like to spend enough time so that I can comfortably state the theme of the piece in a couple of sentences.
Free associate. Before I actually start drawing, I spend about twenty minutes making a list. With the content from step one fresh in my mind, I write down any word that comes to mind. These could be visual elements, verbs, or adjectives. Don't edit, just write.
Make many thumbnails. Next, drawing on your free association list, create eight to ten rough thumbnail pencils. Try different combinations of list items. Often for me, adjectives from the list will conjure up visual images. It is important to really push yourself at this point, but still without judging, and don't worry at all about the quality of the drawing. The goal at this stage is quantity. I allow about forty five minutes for this step.
Take a break. Let your unconscious do some of the work, while you do something else. Take a walk, take a shower, I like to play my guitar. This break could be for half an hour, or it could be overnight.
Edit the thumbnails, refine sketches. Okay, this is really two steps, but a five step process sounds so much better than six. Usually, when I come to stage, I have fresh ideas for the thumbnails, so I add to or modify them as needed. Then, I choose the two or three best thumbnail ideas to work up into tighter sketches to present to the client.

Recent Work: How-to Demo for Upcoming Book

2007-11-23T16:02:00.000-05:00

I created the above left image over the last few weeks as a “how-to” demo for Lisa Cyr’s upcoming book, Working On The Cutting-edge: Alternative Approaches in Art and Illustration, to be published by North Light Books. Although the final image is composited and enhanced in Photoshop, the individual elements are created by hand. Some of the pieces were created and/or photographed for this specific piece, such as the central frame and the main background. As part of my usual practice, though, many of the elements are culled from my continuously expanding and evolving library of backgrounds, scraps, and objects. Above right are some of the supporting images for the demonstration, including a photo of me painting the background, the before and after painted balsa wood frame, and scanned sections of some of my older paintings and drawings.

Recent Work: “Wounded Warriors” Illustration

2007-11-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

For soldiers fortunate enough to survive severe head injuries in combat, attempting to navigate the disjointed military healthcare system back home can be another daunting challenge. In this illustration for designer Jill Akers at Military Officer Magazine, I tried to suggest the confusing bureacracy by looking to M.C. Escher for inspiration. I had done a couple of other sketches first, and this very rough pencil was almost an afterthought. I was slightly hesitant to present it, because I knew it would be by far the most labor intensive choice (had to build the little stairs, etc.), but I also felt drawn to the challenge. I like the way it turned out, though my wife hates it when I use the little model railroad people. Any opinions?

From Charles Shulz to Chuck Close

2007-11-08T08:20:00.000-05:00

Breaking down a large task into smaller, manageable pieces is a well known productivity tool. Last week, NPR listeners were treated to two stellar examples in the practice of this principle by Peanuts creator, Charles Shulz, and the large scale portrait painter, Chuck Close.

On The Diane Rehm Show, Shulz’ biographer David Michaelis spoke of the acclaimed cartoonist's dogged (no pun intended) work ethic. Inspired by his barber father, who built his business “one haircut at a time”, Shulz realized his lifelong goal of becoming a cartoonist “one strip-a-day”, and built his syndicated empire “one newspaper at a time”.

In the rebroadcast of a 1998 interview with Chuck Close by Terry Gross on Fresh Air, the internationally renowned artist acknowledged how his use of a grid helps him sustain his focus while working on very large paintings, each of which takes many months to complete. By completing one small square of the grid each day, Close is able to take pleasure in a sense of accomplishment analagous to creating a single painting every day.

To me, this also underscores the importance of habits. Most often, our most satisfying achievements are simply the sum of many, many small choices.

Glass Flowers at HMNH

2007-11-04T12:03:00.001-05:00

When a friend first told me I absolutely had to see the Glass Flower Collection at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, I thought of tacky glass trinkets one might see at a gift shop. As anyone who has experienced them knows, I could not have been more wrong. Created as botanical teaching models from 1897–1936 by the Bohemian father-son team of Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, the flowers are one of the most stunning achievements I have ever seen. I felt humbled trying to get my arms around the level of sensitivity, patience, and invention that went into the making of each object. And there are over 3000 of them! Don't judge by these small photos here, or any photos for that matter. You have to see them to believe them. As scientific models, they are touted as jaw-droppingly accurate. As art, they are achingly evocative meditations on the imperfect, fragile beauty of life.

Recent Work: “The Shadow Walker” book jacket

2007-10-30T17:01:00.000-04:00

I designed and illustrated this book jacket for art director Rita Frangie at Berkley Books. Set in present day Mongolia, The Shadow Walker, by Michael Walters, spins a tale of corporate espionage and murder. The editors were looking for a “film noir” atmosphere, as suggested by the title. Much of the action in the book alternates between lonely, abandoned Soviet era factories and the stark beauty of the Gobi desert, and I wanted to show both on the cover. Below are the four sketches I presented, the finished artwork, and progressive states of the digital final in Photoshop. Notice the miniature Gobi desert setup on my work table. The red symbol replacing the letter “A” in “Walker” is the emblem featured on the Mongolian flag.

Recent Work: Cardio Care Illustration

2007-10-25T14:38:00.001-04:00

This is the sketch and finish for a recent assignment for Michael Trinsey at Nursing Management Magazine. I originally created the sketch as more generic medical image for the cover (hence the masthead on the sketch). Rejected as a cover, it was later published as an interior illustration accompanying a feature on cardiological care.