Illustration Friday: Wilderness

Here's something from the archives that falls into this week's Illustration Friday theme–Wilderness.

More Gloom and Doom?

Here's my first illo to see the printed page in 2010. It's another job for Dan Trombetto at Folio:. This is in the current issue and is with a story on the less-than-sunny outlook for regional publications. We may be in a new year, but at least for the time being we're still dealing with more of the same from 2009. Let's hope it turns around soon.

Dan was looking for clouds rolling in over a cityscape. Here are the sketches:

Reaching the Finish Line

The year is drawing to a close and that can mean only one thing — year end lists. This is an illustration I did for Folio: looking at the magazine industry's big winners for 2009.

Early on in the process AD Dan Trombetto suggested a victorious publisher bursting off the cover of a magazine. Something like this:



Or, perhaps, this:



For good measure, I threw in this alternative:



When this job started we were working from a pretty limited synopsis. Right after my sketches showed up, so did the final version of the story. The big winners of ’09 were the folks who figured out how to make money outside of the traditional printed product. Perhaps we should have known given the dismal state of the publishing industry. There wasn't a single traditional magazine among the list, so it was back to the drawing board.

A lot the big winner made money on the internet. So I offered this variation on some earlier ideas:



As well as a more generic approach:


And finally this:

I thought it made sense, since the big winners actually reached the end of the year, whereas many publications didn't. Dan and his editors agreed. I think they got the right one.

If you're interested in the story read it in its entirety here.

Happy Holidays

Christmas trees always look smaller outside. I'm not entirely sure why. Last year, Mary and I ended up with a tree that was probably on the slightly too large size. Something that didn't become apparent until it came inside. That experience inspired this year's Christmas card. Of course, since there are trees for sale on seemingly every corner, we didn't have to try to get ours home on the subway.

Art for Sale

The Society of Illustrators is holding a holiday art sale to benefit the Permanent Collection Acquisition Fund. The Permanent Collection of the Society of Illustrators is the home for hundreds of works of art by many of the greatest names in American painting and illustration. This celebrated collection is ever expanding, thanks to purchases and donations from our membership, art patrons and estates. These works are catalogued with selections from the Collection on display throughout the building.

There is a terrific selection of work available. Perhaps best of all, you can take the work right off the wall of the lower gallery and home in the same visit. I picked up this great piece by Dave Stolte earlier today.

If you're at the Society of Illustrators you should also check out the Members Open Show, which on display through December. All the work in that show, including my entry, is on sale to benefit the Art Therapy Program at The Family Center.

If you can't make it to the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I'm selling some of my work here.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day!

The Art of Making a Difference

I'll be participating in this year's Members Open at the Society of Illustrators. Proceeds from the sale of art in the show will benefit the Family Center Art Therapy Family Support Program.

The Family Center works to create a more secure present and future for children whose parents have a life-threatening illness by providing comprehensive legal and social services, education and research. They will be launching the Art Therapy Family Support program this fall. Children and families will be able to utilize this wonderful expressive art form as a catalyst for healing and self-discovery.

The show opens Dec. 1, but some of the included work can be previewed here.

Here's my entry.