Portrait of a Dog...as Raphael's Angelo Doni!

I did several quick pen and ink studies for a spot illustration I worked on about a month ago.  Before posting up the finished piece, I thought it would be fun to show some of the process work behind it.  I always enjoy looking through other artists' sketchbooks.  There's something about the rawness and unedited qualities of a sketch that just can't be replaced.  

It's also fun to see who artists are studying and referencing as they create their artwork.  When I first got the idea for the spot, Raphael's Angelo Doni jumped right into my head as the portrait that I wanted to include in the illustration. Immediately after, I did some quick pen and ink studies of different types of dog heads to put onto the body.  In the final illustration, I chose the Afghan Hound because of his hair and elongated muzzle, both of which resemble Doni's hair and long nose.  Any time I have the opportunity to peruse my art books for an illustration project, I eagerly embrace it!

Exclusive Mugshots of Chicken Licken Released by the Fowl County Police Department!!

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post! It would be an understatement to say I fell a little behind on my blogging duties! I'll have a lot of sketches, model sheets, and finished illustrations, though, that I will be posting both here and on my website come May. I'll also be adding a few new features on my webpage, including a section that will display some behind-the-scenes artwork that goes into each finished series of illustrations that I work on.
To kick off the first Monday in March, I thought I'd post a little doodle that was inspired by the Tomie dePaola Award competition a few months back, in which those participating had to illustrate an excerpt from the Chicken Licken story.  The Fowl County Police Department did not take Chicken Licken's actions very lightly! The poor animal is now a wanted criminal on the run!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! As a child, Halloween night is always an exciting time.  All of the preparation, from choosing a costume and setting up the festive decorations to carving a face on your pumpkin, leads up to that one night.  And when it comes, we can't wait for the school bell to ring and for classes to end so we may finally dress up and embark on our quest to trick or treat throughout the neighborhood! As an artist, I was always tried to think of new, creative faces to carve on my next Halloween pumpkin.  Once my designs were ready, my father and I would lay out the newspaper, gather the carving tools, and begin the facelift.  Looking back, whether it's carving out the pumpkin or trick or treating, Halloween can be quite the bonding experience between parents and children.  Hopefully the snow won't dampen the festivities too much up here in the northeast.  So, for all those kids young and old alike, be safe, have a fun time, and make those costumes good!