Joy of Camping #2

A very big view

Some seaside hollyhocks in a lovely garden by the sea in Port Townsend.

Waterfalls... very big waterfalls.

The fog rolling across the bay... tall ships peek over downtown Port Townsend.

Fields of lavender... buzzing of bees in Sequim.

Edward Hopper by the sea...

Hansel & Gretel might have been here...

A still life of sea wrack.

1950's Retro & Digital

This new book I am illustrating is a fun story set in New York's Central Park Zoo. The real challenge to this project is trying to find a new synthesis of a retro 1950's style and a contemporary digital style. The art is based on pen brushed line on watercolor paper. The colors are bright and bold... with patterns and textures done in photoshop.


I searched through the amazing artists of the 1950's, whose work seems very much akin to this current age. I looked through magazines from the 1950's with amazing samples of Alice and Martin Provensen's work which still looks very contemporary. The parallels between 2010 and 1950 seem clear. Maybe that's because 1950's design seems so similar to our own decade... or maybe it's just a timeless classic. Of course they didn't get to use digital tools to embellish their amazing designs, but I guess their work will last the ages.

Some of the hallmarks of the graphic style might be thought to have iconic simplicity, overprinted color areas and simplified color backgrounds isolated by white space. I tried to get some of that same look, along with an added contemporary cartoon edge. I hope I've succeeded.

Joy of Camping #1

I am back from my week in the sunshine, mountains, beaches, rain forests and victorian seaside towns.


I saw glaciers, japanese tourists, sea otters, winding trails through the rain forest and listened to the eternal surf on the beach.

I think this photo of the campsite in the woods near Rialto Beach captures my favorite things about camping... the mysterious deep woods, the glowing memories from the fire, the simplicity of having a camp for a home.


I hiked all sorts of amazing trails, marveling at Nature's handiwork. I relaxed at camp sites with sunshine glowing through the chardonnay... what better vacation might there be?

I saw numerous picturesque light houses... and had all sorts of exciting ideas about paintings.


I am most likely a camping wussie... since I have to be able to carry along an ice-box, wine, beer, cold cuts, two burner stove, giant tent, umpteen mattress pads and all that. The simple basic necessities.

It's just so much more relaxing than being in cities... from my perspective. Just nature all alone... absolute peace & quiet... a few simple tasks like getting wood and water are all that's needed.
The scent of cedar in the sunshine, the sound of the boughs in the wind, a bubbling brook... it's heaven.

Cromwell Dixon on History Detectives

It was fun to watch the History Detectives piece on Cromwell Dixon. They didn't use any of my graphics, but then my expectations were low, even though they had requested a graphics release form from the publisher.

Even Martin Kidston, the main Dixon biographer scarcely got more than 45 seconds of airtime... and no image of his book cover. I thought it a bit odd that the History Detectives didn't just get on Facebook, where they could quickly get in touch with the actual living relatives of Cromwell Dixon. Instead they seemed to take a more circuitous route of discovery. Perhaps one might speculate that for the astute History Detective, the instant connection of Facebook might make it all too easy... and they were in need of a challenge.

But I was interested to see this spike of the website stats this morning! I quite agree with the premise of the program that Cromwell Dixon is one of America's forgotten pioneers of aviation. Still, the wisdom of the chain stores to decide to not allow this book on their shelves seems a wise one.. who is to question corporate wisdom? I'm sure the corporate book buyers decided that today's modern child has no interest in dusty old things like bicycles flying up a mile over Columbus Ohio!

My favorite parts were the photos of Cromwell, many of which I'd never seen. The one picture in particular seems to capture the spirit of Dixon's innate mechanical genius and determination.

Imagine... a boy of 14 who built his own flying bicycle!

I think they have an app for that now, so today's kids don't have to leave the couch and get up to that sort of mischief.

:0)

Summer Morning & Fruitopia

Summer morning... the most beautiful phrase in the english language. William James erroneously said that 'summer afternoon' was the most beautiful phrase, but he probably didn't get up at with the sun.


Yes, it's that time of year again... Fruitopia.


After all the ballyhoo about the iPad taking over everything to do with the printed page... I find it to be reassuring as a professional book maker to read this article which is drawn from conclusions of a study of half a million readers.

The implications of the findings are that students using real books do significantly better in school than students using e-books. Long live real paper and real artists. (40% better).

"It’s not the physical presence of the books that produces the biggest impact, she suggested. It’s the change in the way the students see themselves as they build a home library. They see themselves as readers, as members of a different group."

Theoretical pastimes...

With the endless days of rain and gloom here in Seattle, I've decided to think up a new summertime sport to match the climate. There is a limit as to how long one can stay cooped up inside, after all.

This pastime might be known as 'lawn rolling'. Lawn rolling consists of heading bravely out into inclement weather for a good roll in the rain soaked grass.

The technique is really very simple. One simply stretches out, with arms held down by one's side and begins to roll. Don't ask me how it's done... it's easier to just do it than explain how.

Variants on lawn rolling might include cross country rolling, uphill rolling, downhill rolling, obstacle course rolling, tall grass rolling, long distance rolling... etc.

Eventually it might even become an olympic sport. There could be speed rolling, the 50 yard roll and even marathon rolling.

Since it's so hard to find anything that's dry and warm around here, we ought to simply embrace wetness and cold! The one rule is that it must always be raining and grey.

I spent the other day out in the rain scrubbing down the porch and stairs. I guess that gave me the idea for the whole idea.
Embrace the wetness... get out in it and roll!

Finally summer & missing comments re-discovered!

Thanks to everyone for sending in comments over the last few months. I was shocked to discover 47 comments that had been hidden away somewhere in blogger's settings panel. Since my outmoded version of Camino doesn't seem to pick up on them, I didn't even know they were there. I must have clicked a wrong button or something. I just thought everyone on the planet had been subsumed by Facebook.

But it's nice to know there are still people not abducted by Facebook.


Meanwhile, summer has been a long time coming here in Seattle. Even the natives who are used to the gloom were starting to grumble.

So when the longest streak of cold weather on record finally came to an end I wasn't about to waste a minute of it.

Even though the TV weather-people were all calling for clouds and rain... we sallied forth. They're wrong so often it's not even funny.

These pix are from Whidbey Island's Ebey landing, which is a great place for wide open skies... and it's just an hour from Seattle. One of my favorite places. Langley is a nice little town to drive through on the way there...



:0)

Secret Garden Bookstore 'Ultimate Tuesday' - June 29th 7:00 pm

The Secret Garden Bookstore in Seattle has invited me to be to be their guest on June 29th at 7:00 for their Secret Garden 'Ultimate Tuesday'. The graphic above shows some of my recent books.


I'll be on hand to chat and sign copies of my new book, CROMWELL DIXON'S SKY-CYCLE, June 29th from 7 – 7:30 p.m. at the Secret Garden Bookshop in Ballard.


It ought to be fun to see a copy in a bookstore. I've heard lots of folks say "Oh, this is just the sort of book that kids need these days."

I quite agree... and this will be just the perfect occasion to make that happen.

The Secret Garden Bookshop
2214 NW Market Street
Seattle, WA 98107
206-789-5006

Blog update #474

Folklife: It's hard to believe that the 'Folk Life' weekend has come and gone... since it seems like it's still winter. Folklife is the 3 day local folk music festival.

Last year it was sunny and hot and summery and wonderful. This year the weather lived up to the Seattle reputation of cold, rain and gloom.

Events of note: 50th Anniversary of the Japanese Gardens at the Arboretum: Timeless and always wonderful. There's something so perfect about how the manicured pines and the arranged stones makes space seem so timeless. Very contemplative.


Busy: Monkeying around with my pal Photoshop. I'm enjoying trying for a 1950's style with a modern edge. The joys of the brush pen on paper are promising. Drawing, drawing, drawing... and then drawing some more.

Gardening: Major makeover in the backyard. I've been waiting for days for the tree guy to cut down the ginormous 55 foot eucalyptus. The arborist said this Jolly Green Giant was likely to grow TWICE as big by the time it's done growing. This tree is planted in the wrong backyard for that!

It was quite an impressive take-down. The tree crew had all manner of ropes and pulleys and the main arborist climbing 25 feet up into the air with spikes and chain saws. Clouds of gas exhaust and chain saws. It was dramatic. Finally got some sunshine in the yard again... which is nice.

Weather: Rain again... that's about 2 weeks straight now... some days without even a sunbreak. Juneuary, for sure.

Eating: home-made corn waffles & fresh blueberries

Reading: 'I, Fatty', a fascinating historical novel about Fatty Arbuckle and the early days of Hollywood.

Monkeying Around

Busy: Monkeying around with my pal Photoshop. I'm enjoying trying for a 1950's style with a modern edge. The joys of the brush pen on paper are promising.

Reading: 'Remarkable Creatures' by Tracy Chevalier. Could scarcely put it down, what with the dinosaurs and eternity at the seaside and all.


Also reading: 'The Diaries of Andy Warhol'. I still can't figure out how a shoe illustrator managed to buy a 4 story townhouse on the upper east side. He actually lost money doing paintings for the first few years. It's interesting to see the relentless work ethic and struggles to keep making art. The amazing originality of thought is so interesting. I don't recall any of the other NYC painters who were smart enough to do any writing... or had any ideas worth writing down.

Gardening: Major makeover in the backyard... coming soon.

Pirates Ahoy!

It was the opening of the boating season last weekend in Seattle, and many a unique vessel was to be seen afloat. All sorts of tugs, wooden boats, yachts, steamboats... big and little.

Of course these two really stood out. They even had a mock battle with gunpowder.

One of these ships, (the Lady Washington) was used in the movie Master and Commander with Russell Crowe. It looked so much bigger in the movie than it does in real life. I believe it also was used in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies.

Sometimes they sail these ships all around Lake Union... but this time they stayed far away, towards the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union.

I have always had a thing for the sailing ships of old. As a boy I'd draw them for hours on end. I loved drawing every little detail... all the rope ladders and rigging other cool things.

They're the stuff of dreams I think. And they're fabulous as geometric designs... so elegant, complex, distinct and amazing.

Beguiling Cover Bunnies

The mailman brought along the nicest surprise. Opening a large envelope, I was discovered the new May cover to High Five Magazine.

It came out very nicely in print. I think an artist usually fusses over a cover. In fact it's entirely possible to over-fuss.

Being a cover bunny can do that to an artiste.
I'd guess cover girls must go through all the same things. I've always wondered, but I imagine it's true.

When I lived in Manhattan, I used to do work for 17 Magazine. I always liked dropping off sketches there... where I imagined all things fabulous might well become real.

No doubt being on the cover of any sort of magazine probably carries with it many of the same artistic quibbles.

Nerves, insecurities, nagging doubts and second thoughts....
Should I have worn a different swimsuit? (bunnies don't swim!)
Should I have worn a different sweater? (bunnies have fur, they don't need sweaters!)

Should I have shot my profile to the right instead of the left?
Do I look fat?

It's the same thing with artists and creating cover illustrations.


An artist will wonder: Are the colors too strong?
Is there too much background?
Should I have worked on the silhouette more... and redesigned the figures?
Did I use too many opaque highlights?
Are the figures the wrong size?
Did I overdo the shading?
Is there enough character...
Should I have gone for a more demure jollity overall?

These are the things that try a bunny's soul... but it's all character building in the long run. Like Popeye said, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!"