On the Digital Drawing Board: March

Things are crazy busy right now in the studio, as I'm in the midst of sizable projects for Intel Corp., Cisco Systems and roughly a dozen other corporate clients. (No complaints; I'm very blessed and this is fun.)

A sample of a few things in process: (Click to enlarge)

Some animation frames for repeat client, Intel Corporation. (I design and illustrate the characters and scenes, and then work with an animator in NY to make everything "move".) This is the third in a series created for them over the last three years. A few of the 40+ illustrations thus far:

The execs at Intel decided that the building we modeled, (an actual convention center) did look large enough
 in front...so I pulled back, added second story and more glass.

After seeing that, we felt that something was still not right. We agreed that the problem was the drive-up
 valet area which made the building look like a hotel. Thus, I redrew the front,
removing that area and further enlarging the outer wall. Success! They loved it.

A line of people forms, and our main characters enter the technology show.

Sketches for an overhead walking sequence.

Some of the weekly political and financial cartoons created for Merk Investments:

One of several cartoons in process for Cisco Systems Inc., (this one in the sketch stage):

A few cartoons for an online dating humor book for an author in NY:

Back to the drawing board...

On the Digital Drawing Board: Book Illustration

My apologies for neglecting the blog for a few weeks. The year has started off with a sizable bang. No need to go into detail, other than to say there has been a good number of fun projects thus far. So without further delay, here is a small taste of the book illustration work on the board thus far this year...(corporate projects in a post to follow.)

An illustration for a biography...(more details later)

Two of 36 cartoon illustrations created for a book called
"Overage Dating: The Adventures of Aunt Frieda"

One of over 20 illustrations created thus far for a humor book about online dating.

A cartoon for a school textbook 

On the Drawing Board: Corporate Clients

Continued...some of the cartoons and illustrations created for corporate clients recently....

Two cartoons for Chicago based Straight North, Inc. They were written by Brad Shorr,
 a collaborator and client going back several years.

A cartoon for long-time client CGNet, announcing Microsoft 360. B&W here, color added below.

A follow-up illustration to accompany an article for family-friendly Cozi.

One of several gift card holder/greeting cards intended to be marketed in Home Depot.

A cartoon commissioned by MoveOn.org. They called me this week and asked me to create
 two cartoons that take aim at the NRA. In this one, I went after NRA chief Wayne LaPierre.

A cartoon for regular client Merk Investments...regarding the Fiscal Cliff

Another of the weekly cartoons created for Merk Investments; this one depicting the battle of the currencies.

A piece for "Leadership Review", which involved drawing the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

A package illustration for a waterproof iPhone protector, (created and designed by an old college roommate!)

On the digital drawing board in the next few weeks are two book illustration projects and several corporate client jobs, including an animated video for Intel Corporation. (The third in a series for them.) Some long days and nights ahead.

Jay Kennedy Scholarship deadline December 15

As usual, I've been too busy with clients and family to post much, but I thought this subject deserved mention. This is a terrific scholarship, named after a man who had a big effect on the work of many cartoonists.

The annual Jay Kennedy Scholarship, in memory of the late King Features editor, was funded by an initial $100,000 grant from the Hearst Foundation/King Features Syndicate and additional generous donations from Jerry Scott, Jim Borgman, Patrick McDonnell and many other prominent cartoonists. Submissions are adjudicated by a panel of top cartoonists and an award is given to the best college cartoonist. 


I had the pleasure of working with Jay Kennedy for a little over three years. He offered me my first syndication contract, and after that, worked with me in developing a comic strip for King Features Syndicate. I got to know him over that span and afterward -- and really grew to appreciate him and his enthusiasm for cartoons.

This memorial scholarship is the sort of thing that can launch a young cartoonist's career...and at the very least, inspire some deserving cartoonist(s) to create worthwhile things. If you think that might be you, enter now! Follow this link to the National Cartoonists Society Foundation webiste for more information...http://www.cartoonistfoundation.org/jay-kennedy-scholarship.html

Hotter than July

Well, almost. Christmas is three weeks away and we had 70 degree temperatures here in Boulder today.  I went to get a season ski pass in shorts the other day, (felt odd to say the least.)

Speaking of warmth, my digital drawing board is smoking from the friction of use. I have been exceedingly busy over the past few months and that explains my absence here.

October and November brought a great deal of political cartoon work, which typically increases during election cycles.

I created a good number of political cartoons for newspapers such as the San Francisco Examiner, many Senate campaigns, as well as special interest groups and financial firms. (Some examples below).

Some other work over the past several weeks...

One of several cartoons created for Cisco Systems, for use in publicizing and marketing a series of new teleconferencing technologies.

A piece for Cozi inc...publishers of a popular parenting magazine & website. (Geez, this one was for Halloween...time has really flown.) I'm currently working on a Christmas piece for them.

...And speaking of Christmas...I'm doing several holiday cards for several corporate clients..here is an unusual piece for a nice fellow who runs a pet service in Washington DC.

 Monthly cartoon for Leadership Review magazine

 Two pieces from a series of golf cartoons done for Chicago-based Straight North, Inc.

One a several cartoons for a humor book about dating.

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I'm currently illustrating six books...four of which I can't share yet, but will do so after they go to press.

Back to the drawing board...after this little respite, it should be cool enough to touch again.

Romney & Obama cartoons

I don't know if you've been following the debates, or if you're planning to watch the final Presidential debate Monday night...but a new trend has been to show the "live" reactions of viewers to specific parts of the debates. Some of this is done via Twitter and others use electronic response units with small groups of people.  I was contacted recently by the CEO of a San Diego-based company, a developer of a new website that allows one to clap for a candidate's response,  online.

The website is called "Give them the clap.com" (Funny name, I must say.)

He wanted to buy license rights to use my caricatures of Romney, Obama, Biden & Ryan on the website...(and we negotiated a fee to make that happen.)  They will go live on Monday, during the third debate. (Click it and try it out...it's fun.) http://giveemtheclap.com/

Well, back to the board...be sure to vote!

Recent & Future Work: Drawing Board wrap-up

The summer has officially ended. Subsequently, September started much like it often does, with a flood of projects. With the kids back in school, vacations wrapped up, people are back in their offices, and they are re-focused. Or at least that's the way it seems, as the phone began ringing right after Labor Day.

Nearly a dozen new corporate projects are on tap, along with three new book illustration jobs, (two are children's books).

One of those corporate projects is for computer networking company, Cisco Systems. They've hired me to create a series of humorous cartoons to promote a new technology for business meetings. (Specialized large screen monitors that provide a lifelike and almost 3D teleconferencing experience.)

Update: I went to a Boulder Cisco Systems location this week to get first-hand a demonstration of the technology, to help me create the material. I was able to use the TelePresence system to "meet" with a Cisco VP and his staff in California"...and that's the idea of the system: You are right there with people in other cities without the need to travel. These units are not cheap however; at $110,000, it would take a large company to justify the trade off.

In the photo below, you can see that the conference table wraps around through the screen to give the illusion that it is one large table. The cameras and microphones follow movement...while the screens above and below the monitors allow the presentation of content from laptops, Ipads, etc. (I was able to plug mine in and test it out.) I was able to make some sketches, hold the paper up to the gentlemen 'across the table' and have them point to what they liked. Try doing that on Skype! Each of the three screens can display a separate location. Overall an extremely life-like meeting experience that rivals being there in person.

Photo taken from a Cornell University blog below...(The guy on left with the glasses is Cisco executive who hired me.)

http://blogs.cornell.edu/info2040/2011/09/27/cisco-telepresence/

Here is a video demonstrating the technology, (i am working with the Cisco exec explaining it here)

http://www.ccietalk.com/2012/04/08/cisco-introduces-telepresence-tx9000-series

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Meanwhile, here are some recent pieces that have been completed for other clients...

Hope you had a terrific summer!

Comic book cover, (and comic interior work done for long-time client CGNet)