Number 140 of 150

October 12, 2023October 5, 2023Leave a comment

This is a cartoon illustration of a park ranger giving a presentation about a red-tailed hawk. This image is part of a subset of illustrations within the larger project depicting people with recognizable professions. The project was commissioned by Learning A-Z to be used in a Build-A-Book application for children. As always, the image was created digitally in Adobe Photoshop using my cintiq tablet.

This one was fun to draw because I used a photo reference from my own personal photos. This hawk is based on the one that came by years ago and perched on my back fence for several hours. It was a very good model and let me get very close to get some nice shots. So, drawing this brought to mind a memory of a really special afternoon for me.

This final image was also way different than the original specs. Originally, this was supposed to be a woman park ranger with a park map she was pointing to. But that pose was fairly unworkable if we wanted to both see the content of the map and have the woman viewed from the front, looking at the viewer at eye-level. Which they did. Also, holding an unfolded paper map usually requires two hands, then a third would be needed to point. Additionally, the specs for this section were too heavy on women, and we already had a Middle Eastern woman with a prosthetic leg previously in the project. That was why it was decided to switch this one to a man.

It was my suggestion to change the pose to the park ranger doing a nature presentation with an animal, which the client liked. I suggested several animals, but I was really hoping they’d go for the hawk. Which they did.

Park Ranger with Red-Tailed Hawk

Number 139 of 150

October 10, 2023October 5, 2023Leave a comment

A cartoon illustration of a construction worker or contractor. He’s got the safety vest, helmet, ear protection, walkie talkie, probably even steel-toed boots. I think he’s the contractor, since he’s carrying the plans.

Number 138 of 150

October 8, 2023October 5, 2023Leave a comment

A chef. Probably from a more upscale restaurant, if they’re wearing the traditional chef’s uniform.

This is image 138 of 150 images commissioned for Learning A-Z. Each one is a cartoon drawing of a person isolated on white. Diversity was a key priority in the series and so the characters represent many different races, ethnic groups, genders, ages, and included individuals with visible disabilities. Previous batches were focused mostly on children, but this batch are all adults.

Number 137 of 150

October 6, 2023October 5, 2023Leave a comment

A veterinarian. Very similar to the doctor/nurse from last time but holding a dog so we know he’s an animal doctor.

Number 136 of 150

October 4, 2023October 5, 2023Leave a comment

Last batch. This one’s different from the previous batches. This one’s grouped into two categories. The first half depicts different recognizable professions while the second are all historical figures.

This one is a doctor or a nurse.

Mushroom People

August 26, 2023August 21, 2023Leave a comment

Here’s a little doodle thing. A bunch of mushroom people, because my youngest thinks mushroom people are cool. Especially the ones with the red caps.

A collection of anthropomorphic cartoon mushrooms with red caps and white spots. They are 17 of them in various fun poses. — A collection of anthropomorphic cartoon mushrooms.

Trili Pebbletock

August 24, 2023August 13, 2023Leave a comment

I play D&D, and we’re starting a new campaign. This is my new character. Trili Pebbletock is a gnome bard living in Water Deep. She has spent the last 3 decades working a day job as a music teacher and oratory instructor for a noble family with regular side gigs as an entertainer in the evening. Unfortunately, a recent contract dispute has left her unable to work as an instructor anywhere within 50 miles of the city for the next 4 years. (Who ever heard of a non-compete clause?!) Then, to add insult to injury, while she was staying at The Willow Tree Inn, the establishment experienced a massive burglary. She was out entertaining at a local tavern and returned to find just about everything missing from her room, as did most of the other guests! But for her it was particularly devastating because she now has almost nothing to show for the past 3 decades of work! This has been absolutely the worst week of her entire life. Sitting at the bar at The Yawning Portal Tavern, she swears she has half a mind to take up with the next adventuring party that walks in the front door.

An illustration of a gnome bard for a dungeons and dragons game. She is standing on a table and holding a mandola.

Earth Day

March 9, 2021April 9, 20214 Comments

Here’s an image I created in response to a call for artists from the #OurOtherMother campaign by Parents for Future.

An cartoon illustration of the Earth seen from space. The planet has been distorted into a heart-shape. The sun is setting on the northwest/upper left and the moon is rising on the southeast/lower right. There are stars in the void.

Final Image – Giant Robot Invasion!

May 6, 2018January 13, 20242 Comments

And here is the final version of the piece I’ve been working on! So much excitement going on here. You’ve got the rockets blasting off behind, probably an emergency evacuation. Are the searchlights searching for her, specifically? You have the abandoned motorcycle, maybe it was hers and it ran out of gas or something? That would explain the goggles. Looks like she must have met with an accident on her right side at some point in the past because she’s got a prosthetic arm and leg. They must be good tech, though, since they don’t seem to be slowing her down any. Notice the blue light on her arm? That’s a power indicator. She still has a full charge. It’ll turn orange, then red as it runs dead. At which point she becomes a lefty. I’m not sure what the earpiece is. Maybe just communications equipment, maybe a hearing aid of some sort? It is on her injured side. What’s in her bag do you think? Tools for maintaining her prosthetics? Or the plans to the enemy’s base that she has to deliver into rebel hands? It doesn’t look like she has any offensive weapons. Just that energy shield, but I think it’s underpowered to stop that robot hand. Maybe it will buy her a crucial second to slip out of its grip, though!

Giant Hand
Here’s an Easter egg. You can’t tell at the resolution above, but this is in the background. The search light washes it out, but you can see that she’s not the only one running.

And here’s a behind-the-scenes from way back when I first started this piece. This little mannequin helped me work out her pose.
model

This piece was a personal project, not one meant for any particular client. I wanted to add a detailed sci-fi piece in my portfolio, one with a lot of action. So, that’s the reason for it. I’ll get it up on the portfolio in a couple of days here. [Edit: It’s up now.]

I had not really intended it to be as involved as it ended up, but the concept demanded certain elements and complex lighting. Luckily, since I had no real deadline, I was free to take as long as I liked. It was fun and I really like how it turned out.