The OK

I received the ok to post some of the work I did for BE GLAD YOUR NOSE IS ON YOUR FACE!  I should post it shortly.  In the mean time here are a few sketches I've doodled out this last week.  

Later! 

Ol' Monkey Breath

Uncle Bill

Be Glad your Nose is on your Face

It's been a while since I last posted, and as many notice, I'm really not very consistent with my posts or comments.  But this last month I have a valid excuse.  For the last 5 weeks I've been literally consumed by one book.  BE GLAD YOUR NOSE IS ON YOUR FACE.  It's about a 200 page book with 113 poems by the poet laureate Jack Prelutsky.  Yes, the very same who authored, THE WIZARD.  In this wonderful compilation,  I illustrated all 113 poems; some with simple spot art and others with full spread paintings.  Even though the time frame was wild and crazy, this was an awesome book to work on.  I think the release date is set for this October. It also comes with a CD of Jack reading some of the poems along with games and activities inside. 

As soon as I can get the ok, I'll post some previews.

Later!       

Goosebumps on Today Show

Last year I started working on a new series of GOOSEBUMPS books. You know, the scary kids books that get boys to read!  The renowned and bestselling author R.L. Stine has come out with GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND.  For about ten months I've had the privlege of painting 12 new covers for some of the old GOOSEBUMPS titles along with those for HORRORLAND.  This morning on the Today Show, First Lady, Laura Bush hosted R.L. Stine as they talked about the series.   I'd been given a tip that they might print some large posters to display in the background of my covers, but in the end they just showed a few snapshots, but heck, my artwork on national television . . .?! I'll take it! Check out the clip here.

humm. . . .

Stigma

Captain P

Some Random Sketches

Little Fairy

A little something I started quite a while ago. I pulled it out to mess around with while taking a break from real work. Sometimes I have to paint on something that doesn't have any direction, and just see what comes out.

Later!

Quick Sketch

Yet Another Pirate

Nightmare Academy interior

One of the interior illos I did for Dean Lorey's NIGHTMARE ACADEMY.  I'm currently working on the interiors for book 2.  It is a great read, anyone who liked the first book will love the second. 

Later!

Work in Progress

Just a little work-in-progress.  Not sure exactly where this is going quite yet.  Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Later!

Website Update

I finally got around to updating my website. It's been in progress for about the last 6 months, so I really don't even remember what new and old stuff I have up on there now. 

Later! 

Bird Sketch

Simple Sketch

I'm working on a couple personal projects and this is a character sketch. 

Heads or Tales

Looky-Loo Moster

Due to popular request, here is a little something I did for fun. Later!

Good Morning

I play basketball every Monday and Wednesday at about 6am. This was what I came home to

Later!

Something a little different

Here is something a little different than most of my work. I really enjoy portraits even though I don't do many. This still has a touch of stylization, but that just seems to be my thing.

Later!

WHAT'S THE STORY

Quite a while ago I had sketched out this little scene in Photoshop. I found the file and painted it recently. Since I've shown it around, I've been ask many times "so, what's the story behind this?" In truth there really is no story. But as I look at how I make images, I see that many of my illustrations do hold untold stories. I have always loved the book THE MYSTERIES OF HARRIS BURDICK for this reason. In his book, Chris Van Allsburg gives us just enough to wet our visual taste buds and then leaves the rest to our imagination. The wonderful thing is, stories have no limits.

Fairy's Box

Messing around some more

New York Times Best Seller

Ok, I couldn't hold out. THE WIZARD HAS HIT THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST! Even better yet, it's #1 on the list this week.

Radio Flyer

Just messing around in Photoshop.

The Tiger's Egg

I thought I would post the cover of THE TIGER'S EGG. I did this cover as a sequal to THE PALACE OF LAUGHTER. It's a great story by Jon Berkeley.

Later!

No Squish It!

A couple of evenings ago I was doodling away on this small illustration. The next morning my son (who turns two next week) came in and took one look at what I had come up with and said " Dad! Dad! No squish it Dad! No squish it!

Another Sketch

Just another sketch!

Later!

A little sketch here

Along with my illustration work I have a pirate story that is on-going. Here is a little concept sketch of one of the characters.