Freelancing
August 7th, 2015 | Posted in Freelancing
Jeff started doing a show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas late last year, and he had me do a bunch of different pieces for him for various merchandise. Some of that stuff is finally showing up in his online store (I think it had been exclusive to the Vegas gift store until recently) so I think it’s safe to show them here. He has another set of playing card illustrations as well, so I am not sure where these last few images are being used. READ MORE
December 23rd, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
I occasionally get the opportunity to do work for Library Journal and School Library Journal magazines, and earlier this fall I did a quick piece for them featuring a caricature of Travis Jonker, a well-known book reviewer and librarian who is very social-media saavy (and very tall and lanky). Travis did an article on social media in a recent issue of Library Journal, and I did the above illustration for it (set in the layout here, thus the greek text). Here’s a rough comp and one of the initial sketches as well: READ MORE
December 4th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
The other day writer extraordinaire Mark Evanier posted an interesting article on his must-read blog about making a living as a writer. Some of the post is about how people you might think are rolling in money are actually struggling to get by, but the gist of his message is that in order to make a living as a writer (or anyone in the creative field), you need to write (or do whatever your creative skill is). That sometimes means you take on jobs that others looking from the outside in might think to be “selling out” your artistic integrity. Mark tells a story… READ MORE
November 6th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
It’s no secret the world of publishing and printing is being taken over by digital publishing, the internet and hand held “media consumption” devices. That said, the world of illustration is hardly dying as a result, it is merely changing to fit into the evolving digital world. No corner of the business is immune. Here’s a case in point. Followers of my blog will know I do work for a client called The Marlin Company, which produces workplace communication products that employers purchase on a subscription basis with monthly messages of teamwork, stress management, safety, etc. as well as other useful information tailored to various… READ MORE
September 25th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
Clicky any to embiggen… This was an odd job from early last year. A design company was doing a calendar for some client and one of the months they wanted a comic book “superhero” designed that would represent a color process or technology from 3M called “Q-Def”. They wanted a little humorous look to it, rather than a more serious comic book look… that’s why they called me. We needed to explore some ideas of the look of the character, so I gave them 4 different concepts. Three human characters and a robot: Then I worked a bit on the “Q-Def” logo. I really hate… READ MORE
June 20th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
This was a recent column of mine in a recent edition of the National Cartoonists Society publication “The Cartoon!st”: One of the things I love the most about the NCS is that our members cover the gamut of all facets of professional cartooning. Syndicated comics, comic books, animation, web comics, book illustration, gag cartoons, greeting cards… you name it and some of our members do it. I find it fascinating to hear and learn about the trials and tribulations of the different ways people make a living in this industry. I do mostly freelance illustration, which is an exercise in feast, famine, panic, and anxiety.… READ MORE
April 8th, 2014 | Posted in Freelancing
Sometimes when you freelance, a job comes along that seems promising and then it falls thorough or never ends up being brought to completion for whatever reason. I wouldn’t say I’ve had a lot of those kinds of jobs, but after 25 years of freelancing I’ve had my fair share. Most never get to the point where I do any actual drawing for them, except when that drawing is part of a conceptual stage where I get paid for my efforts regardless if the job gets “picked up”. Those kinds of jobs are fairly common in the advertising world. I have done illustrations for packaging… READ MORE
November 15th, 2013 | Posted in Freelancing
Clicky to embiggen… Ventriloquist/comedian and client of mine Jeff Dunham just came out with a new game app called “Achmed’s Bombsweeper” that uses a lot of my artwork throughout, including the giant “RoboAchmed” above. It’s a variation on the old Minesweeper game where Peanut, Jose Jalepeno, Bubba J, Walter and the gang try and prevent Achmed from completing his RoboAchmed terror weapon. You can get the game for free on iOS and Android platforms, or play it on Jeff’s website. READ MORE
