2013 in Review: Action Figure Editorials, Death by Giant Pencil and Fifty Shades of Grey DeLisle!

I believe looking back on the past year is important if we're to understand how to shape the events of the one to come. Here are my highlights of the things I've said, done or posted in 2013!

January 28th-

I Have a Headache! 2013
Power Rangers T-Shirt for welovefine.com

My first piece of the new year got me back to my roots making jokes about pop culture.

It also represented a significant change in how I work. The original had been done in pencil but it took so long to produce satisfactory poses (especially when dealing with such elaborate costume details) that I just jumped into inking the lines in Photoshop rather than by hand in order to save time and make the deadline. 

See the original post here. 

February 8-

Just outside the house I saw a low riding car stuck, struggling to get out of eleven inches of unplowed snow. I went out to see if I could help push the car out of the rut. When this proved ineffective I got my brother Matt and together we started shoveling a path so that the guy could at least turn around and come back the way he came. Other neighbors saw what we were doing and came out with their own shovels and snowblowers to help. Together we cleared enough to allow for a proper U-Turn. 

Once the car got back on the unplowed part of the street there were one or two times that it seemed to stall but managed to power on through. Watching it go I felt a bit like parent who let go of their kid's bike after taking off the training wheels.


March 14-

April 24th-

I had the misfortune of having to explain what "Fifty Shades of Grey" was to my mother during dinner.

This turn of events came about at dinner were I was discussing how I was helping organize books at the church rummage sale. We were told that if we found any copies of Fifty Shades of Grey to just throw it out. My mom reacted by saying that we shouldn't discourage people from reading about grey areas of spirituality. I had to gently explain to her that this was not a spiritual book. 

June 19th-

The bank teller girl knows me by name. Since our relationship is based on her taking my money, I guess that means we're practically married.

July 11th- 

I always dreamed of being ranked alongside famous artists, just not quite like this.

Yes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came from New York to Midland in order to cheer on our minor league baseball team The Great Lakes Loons. I guess no one told them these weren't actual loons the way that they were actual turtles.


July 15th-

August 23rd-

Summer Bummer. 2013
Editorial Illustration.

This is easily my favorite piece of the past year. Its the first piece I've done thats completely done in the computer. I also turned it around from concept to completion in less than a week, a significant accomplishment to say the least. Also, it was the first regular thing I did for The League of Extraordinary Bloggers which helped garner the attention of returning commenters who have warmed my heart with their gushing praise.

The subject is really what endears it to me. Theres just some kind of dark yet quirky sense of humor about it that just find so engaging. I'd love to do more projects like this. If I can put together more illustration like this I could carve out a niche doing editorials for a magazine or something like that. 

See the original post here.

Sept 13th-

I sent a tweet to world famous autoharpist and occasional actresses Grey DeLisle, wishing the best on her recent marriage. She graciously reciprocated my unique sense of humor.

October 31st- 

Action Figures. 2013

Illustration for Cool & Collected Magazine

This is the most detailed piece I've produced to date. I really wish I had taken some screencaps of the day to the day process. This particular project presented a rare opportunity to experiment with brush and color tools I might not have otherwise used. Plus it was fantastic to have the opportunity to have work in a publication for the for first time in a long while! 

See the original post here.

Buy this issue of Cool & Collected magazine here. 

November 29th-

Black Friday: A day we set aside to celebrate first world problems!


December 13th-

A gift, from my home to yours. 2013
2013 Christmas Card.

My second (or is it first) annual Christmas Card. I started as soon as all the Halloween candy was given out so it was quite a bit of work. Since its also my most recent piece I don't have much to say about it in retrospect other than what I did in the original post here. 

Thanks for helping making this a great year. Heres to an even better one to come!