Hey You Guys! Charity - UPDATE

I was invited a while back to contribute to the Hey You Guys! Charity art auction. The auction raises money for art supplies for kids and the theme is close to my heart -- it's art inspired by 80s movies. Read more about the auction and movie screening here.

For me, I went with what was nearest and dearest, Star Wars. I did a quick portrait of Luke Skywalker last night. This was too good of an event to miss out on.


I apologize for missing my Wednesday and Friday posts last week. I've been so swamped with work it's crazy. I've also got a couple other charity pieces to do as well and not to mention all the personal work I need to do.

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Hey, here's the link for my piece in the auction!

wigs and stairs and plugs

This one will take a little explaining.

I love to do stupid things to people. Anything to turn the universe sideways just a little for them.

This story begins, like so many others, on Halloween night. See, there? Justin wore this wig.

Behold, your Portland Studios, Halloween 2009. Me, Justin, and Danny.

Now, for the last whenever, the blasted wig been laying by the scanner. I don't notice it for a minute or two than, ah! It surprises me every time. I mean, yes, it's horrible on a head but on a table with no head? It's worse. Maybe on a table and on head could be even more worse, but still.

So, I took it and stuck it on a stick. Then I cut out little white circles for eyes. Finally, I put it on the stairs to Zach's office. I've seen Zach walk literally dozens of times. And I knew how he'd take those stairs; shuffling, with head down.

I positioned the wig creature on the stairs at eye level, the white circles burning like little pagan bonfires. Then I left.

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This is as good a time as any to point you to Zach's wonderful blog to see what became of him in this startling and wholly unnatural situation. It played exactly like I hoped : It made Zach jump.

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Also, I wanted to inform you that my little sister has, after much prodding, begun a blog!


If I have to stay after her to post there will be trouble but so far she's got a pretty cool piece up that is being considered for a toy creation. Swing by if you like and show her some kindness.

"the box"

We've got two cats. One is sleek and gray and quick. The other is white and tan and dumb.

James, as the white and tan cat is called, likes to sit in any little box he can find. No matter where one is, he'll find it and sit in it. For hours.

I figure he must get something out of it. That, or he's just white and tan and dumb.

STAR HELMET 3000

Here is my idea, my possible invention. I don't know of anything like this, but I ever found one I'd buy it. So please let me know if you run across anything at all similar.

Any other ideas for what it might do?

"space is the place"

I had an idea for an invention, a real thing that could work, over the weekend. I'll bring you a little comic of the idea in action next post.

The above piece is representative of the idea.

It is also best enjoyed coupled with this piece, Symphony of Science :

Thistledown puppet : FINAL!

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Philip Hatter of Thistledown Puppets has lit the sky on fire! I am truly speechless to see the finished puppet.

Philip took that simple painting of mine and turned it into a masterpiece.

Huge thanks to Philip for coming up with this idea and seeing it through to a brilliant conclusion!

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Be sure and stop by Philip's blog and let him know how awesome he is!

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To read more about this joint effort with me and Philip over at Thistledown Puppets, click here for a compilation of my posts explaining the project and to see the original painting which inspired the puppet.

SI 52

A little late on my Wednesday post. I thought I'd use it show you what I've entered for The Society of Illustrators Annual 52.

The Fairy Queen

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Siegfried and Brünnhilde

Click here to read all about this piece.

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Daga and the Trolls

from Dag and Daga, and the Flying Troll of Sky Mountain

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This piece is from my Grimm and Other Folk Tales show. You can see the other nine pieces for the show as well as the extensive development work here.

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It was incredibly difficult to choose just 4 images from Walters.

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So that's that! I'd love to be included again this year. Here's to SI 52!

wolfgang's beautiful pumpkin

Here's an older one, one I made for Erin a couple years ago. I reorganized it and hand lettered the text.

Just in time for the cool weather.

rib - cracked

My poor sister-in-law, the delightful, the lovely and talented Annie Koelle, has recently cracked a rib (and more recently cracked another) I made her this get well card.



And I certainly do hope she gets well soon. I know what it's like to have something screwed up inside your body and there's not much you can do about it.

Thistledown puppet : stage 5

Philip Hatter of Thistledown Puppets returns to knock our collective socks off again with another update in the creation of the puppet I designed.

We're nearing completion on the final dragon.


I was especially impressed with the way Philip caught the sort of uneven, irregular belly scales.



This one gets me, I love the little hand; Philip nailed it.


In Philip's own words,

"This last image is my favorite. I took it as I was beginning to sew the neck onto the body. It definitely felt like a St. George and the Dragon moment."

It's like a reverse St. George -- if George had been a doctor.

I once again run the risk of hyperbolizing my thoughts about it, but still this is really something incredible.

I'm just thrilled to see this little project come together like it has. It's been a joy to watch every few days and see the progress.

Can't wait to see him move.

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To read more about this joint effort with me and Philip over at Thistledown Puppets, click here for a compilation of my posts explaining the project and to see the original painting which inspired the puppet.

"It's dangerous to go alone."

Above all other games, I most love The Legend of Zelda series.

I think in many ways, Zelda, in all of it's various iterations, is the perfect game.

Maybe perfect isn't the right word but to me it exemplifies what gaming can create at it's best.