Best Face Forward

After designing a new logo for my new business cards I decided to make a new self portrait so that I could have some original art for the cards as well as I felt the previous portrait's full front angle wasn't working out.

So looking for new ideas but drawing myself in front of a mirror. I almost had forgotten how challenging and how rewarding it is to draw something directly from life rather than conform to the structure of a model in a photo.

Its also amusing to see how even drawing the same head, how it can look radically different from one to the next. Its funny how my first impression of my own face was very tall, chiseled and serious. With the hair part and face fuzz, I kinda look like Flynn Rider from Disney's "Tangled".

Later versions showed more squat cheeks as I tried to squeeze out a subtle smile.

Eventually I got this:

The Big Game

Yesterday, I was invited by my neighbors to watch "The Big Game" (The Oakland Bowl to be exact) I don't know or care about football in the slightest but though it would be a good break from my routine for the start of the new year as well as an opportunity to skim free food and draw some people just sitting around. The crowd was antsy at first but when the game went into triple overtime, the physical enthusiasm started to wane.

Portraits. So many unique noses.

Betty Transfixed

Paul Relaxing, Dan Chanting

Katie Noir 

New Year, New Look

Well, its been close to two years since I first put my site and this blog on the internet. Back then, I was trying to figure out my "artistic identity" and came up with this:

I was looking to follow a very Bahaus design to go for a clean, modern look that would could be seen as "professional". I wanted it to come across as simple and legible in contrast to my often eidetic art work.

Well know that I've had at least two years of "real world" experience, I think I have a slightly better idea of my artistic identity than I did while I was in school.

Looking back this logo has a lot of things that don't work. The whole "Erik with a K" bit. Sure its funny, and memorable and a real pet peeve of mine when even my close friends can't spell it right, but if a client  doesn't notice just one letter in my name, than we probably aren't meant for each other, especially given the amount of small details in my illustrations. Much think the "I'm from Michigan *points to hand*" bit, it works better when spoken rather than written. Making the K red and than adding "with a K" under it is just redundant.

Confining my first name to a box was another bad move, as it divides my name and disrupts legibility. Not that all capital letters really helps with clarity either. The small addition of "illustrator" feels very much like an afterthought.

So I've been tinkering with a few ideas and came up with this:

Upon a review of my portfolio I realized just how much humor is a part of my work and wanted to reflect that in my new logo. The font for my name is called "Thingamajig", which is probably best known as the font for the Fantastic Four logo, reflecting my comic book roots. Its a very bouncy font, which ties into my "obtuse" sense of humor and has a very "hand drawn" look to it, not unlike the bold brush strokes of my illustrations.

Beneath that is "Illustrator" is Futura, which is a modern, more professional, slightly retro font, representing the foundation in traditional artistry that supports my often goofy exterior.

I'd be very interesting it reading what you think of this change. Please let me know.

SleepCare Seasonal Serial Part 4: Skinny Santa

The epic conclusion! Thanks to Santa's CPAP machine, not only does he get plenty of rest, but he also manages to lose a lot of weight, and is more active and awake during his late night job. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night's sleep!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

SleepCare Seasonal Serial Part 3: Santa CPAP

Santa Claus receives the gift of a CPAP Machine to help his night time breathing and make sure he and the Mrs sleep soundly.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

SleepCare Seasonal Serial Part 2: Santa Snooze

Uh-Oh! It seems Santa's sleep problems have become a disruption on day-to-day operations at the North Pole.

Seeing Santa sleeping on the job is no stranger to illustration.

Heres a famous example by Norman Rockwell:

And here's a less famous depiction from James Williamson (image courtesy of Today's Inspiration)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

SleepCare Seasonal Serial Part 1: Santa Snores

Sleep Care provided me with an interesting challenge to cap off the end of 2011. My editor suggested a series of illustrations that would run weekly through the month of December chronicling Santa Claus overcoming his sleep disorders such as snoring and narcolepsy. I was fed this idea just before Thanksgiving, which also had a tie in illustration that would need to be done in record time. Then I was told these Christmas illustrations would be in full color.

Anyway, it was a close call, but I managed to finish them. I just wish that SleepCare had taken the same approach as the Salvation Army with their Christmas illustrations and asked me draw Christmas over the summer so I would have had more time, but what can you do? Heres hoping for an extra little stocking stuffer along with my next paycheck.

Anyway, here's part one:

I knew that somewhere along the line I'd have to do an illustration of distruptive snoring, so I had a file of reference photos ready. Problem was I didn't expect the party in question to be such a large iconic figure, so it took some tinkering with the composition to make sure Santa was identifiable. 

It appears Santa's holly jolly snoring has caused Mrs. Claus to break out the tarmac earmuffs.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4