BIKINI MOM

A recent illustration for Babytalk magazine. I call it "va-va-voom vs. va-va-womb." The concept was body confidence for new moms. This accompanied a tongue-in-cheek quiz for moms to assess their own ideas of perfection and body image. It was good to do some editorial illustration for a change, even with a fast turnaround.

art created 8-22-11

  And oddly, I kept saying I wanted to go to the beach, and then I got this assignment.  I guess this is in the department of "Be Careful What You Wish For."  Now I'm REALLY going to the beach... but don't tell anyone!

IN SEARCH OF SEASHELLS

  It's not too late to go to the beach and look for shells in September. In sweatshirts. This spread for Ranger Rick went through several incarnations in sketch stage with a different title too, but  it finally came together.  An "aha!" moment came when I realized I could make little shell characters on the beach instead of  trying to fit in an identification drawing of shells as a separate teaching element. Anthropomorphic shells. I think Ms. Whelk and  Mr. Mussel are hitting it off.
  Another piece for Ranger Rick for a regular feature called "Be Out There". No earbuds or ipads; just sun, surf, sand and wildlife.  Donna Miller's great art direction. (Thanks for the hermit crab idea, Donna!)

art created 6-28-11

Media:  pastels, prismacolor and photoshop.

 

  Here it is in print:

DON'T BE SILLY!

  Actually; wait, be silly. Be very silly! I had a lot of fun doing this spread for 'Your Big Backyard" magazine. It was a chance to work simply and nonsensical. I drew the basic art in black prismacolor; scanned the image , changed the line color and added the rest of the color in photoshop.  Every time I look at this piece again I think "That fish needs a monocle!"
  The reproduction turned out great. I'd like to do more of this type of crazy imagery geared more toward younger kids.

art created 6-14-11

 I just found out that Mr. Fish has a great great uncle.

Artist unknown.

BIRDS in BUNCHES

  One of my recent assignments was this four pager for Ranger Rick magazine,  some of my favorite people to work with, on bird flocking behavior.  I suggested  a few other titles:  “The Birdy Bunch”, and “Hangin’ with my Peeps”,  but they passed on both.  I could see a bird saying “Marcia, Marcia , Marcia!” or some home-birds perched on a stoop. No?  O.K., perhaps some other time. Here's the first spread:

art created 5-13-11

  Birds of a feather flock together, but so do birds of several varieties. When a flock of birds is feeding; usually one bird  acts as a sentinel and will be the first to sense danger. When that one takes off;  the rest take their cue almost instantaneously.  Acorn woodpeckers have lots of Moms and Dads (and sisters and brothers) who help feed the kids. It’s like a bird commune.  I could have  put some Birkies on those bird feet… missed my chance.

detail

 A great magazine to read indoors or outdoors.

Illustrations from the second spread:

  I found the coolest video while looking for reference. The most amazing thing I’ve ever seen birds do: a  massive flock behavior in starlings called murmuration. The shapes morph into one another like a 3-D mobius strip. Displaying strength in numbers, they are trying to distract a predator. They are also making art.  Similar to those rotating shoals of fish, it’s some kind of instinctual choreography.
  The starlings’ displays are so complicated that they are being researched by physicists, aeronautical engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists, as well as biologists. Starling numbers are a fraction of what they used to be.  The decline is believed to be due to the loss of permanent pastures, the use of pesticides and a shortage of food and nesting sites.