WIP: Bus Interior

July 6, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s something I’m working on just now. It’s a work in progress, so it’s not intended to be finished yet. I have the lines and base colors in, but that’s about it.

It’s the interior of a Montgomery, AL bus CIRCA 1955. It will be the background for an illustration of Claudette Colvin’s March 2, 1955 refusal to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus.

I found quite a few pictures of buses of that period and I did my best to get it accurate.

I’ll post more as I continue to work on it.

A work in progress illustration of the interior of a Montgomery, AL bus, CIRCA 1955.

Floating Mermaid

June 24, 2021June 23, 20212 Comments

Here’s a mermaid I drew while procrastinating.

A mermaid floats in water with only her face above the surface. Under her, a school of fish swims by.

Bass Reeves

May 25, 2021September 13, 20214 Comments

Here’s an illustration of Deputy US Marshal Bass Reeves riding out of Fort Smith, Arkansas with a warrant in hand. Bass Reeves was the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi. He is thought to be the real-life inspiration for The Lone Ranger. He did not have an Indian sidekick named Tonto (which is offensive on a couple of levels) but he did have friends among the indigenous tribes living in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories. The story is that he fled to Oklahoma Territory after he learned about his emancipation from slavery after the Civil War. There he learned several native languages and how to shoot and track. Those skills and contacts, along with his own ingenuity, later helped him track down the outlaws he was charged with capturing as a Deputy US Marshal. Upon his retirement, he had over 3,000 arrests of felons on his record and had killed 14 outlaws, an impressive tally which inspired many stories.

I used some artistic license to give him a white horse, like The Lone Ranger, and the traditional white hat of the western hero. The Fort Smith courthouse is drawn how it looked sometime in the 1870s. I used several reference photos for both the courthouse and Bass Reeves himself.

The font I used on the bottom is named Nashville and designed by Disturbed Type. I like the eroded look to it. I hand drew the letters for his name using the font Tagwood by Intellecta Design as a guide.

An illustration of Deputy US Marshal Bass Reeves riding out of Fort Smith, Arkansas with a warrant in hand. Bass Reeves was the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi.

Orc Dad

April 7, 2021April 2, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s a personal piece I just finished. I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons with my family and I think it’s sad how orcs are depicted as just a bunch of mindlessly aggressive monsters. They have families, right? They must. So, here’s a candid portrait of an orc dad and his offspring.

A candid portrait of an orc father and his toddler offspring. The child is on the father's shoulders, holding onto his thumb. The background is a monochromatic forest scent.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 15

April 6, 2021March 25, 20211 Comment

Page 14 doesn’t have an image, so we skip on to page 15 from The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine. This is the last illustration and the end of the book.

It’s not a completely happy ending because, even though Leena’s back in her own home, Amaya’s family lost their house. This is supposed to be a “tough subjects” series, so a not entirely happy ending is appropriate. But it’s not all bad because Amaya has sent Leena a letter saying how they found a place to live and are doing okay. They even sent pictures.

I made sure it’s the same couch and wall as page 4 so it’s definitely the same house. It comes full circle.

An illustration for page 15 of The Neighborhood's Night by Juliana Catherine. A girl curled up on her couch leans back against her mother who is sitting beside her. The girl is reading a letter and the mother is looking at some photo prints. They are both smiling.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 13

April 5, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s the 11th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 13 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.

This is the last one set in the school gymnasium. Amaya is crying after learning Juana’s news. Their house didn’t make it.

An illustration for page 13 of The Neighborhood's Night by Juliana Catherine. A family sits on a cot opposite an ash-covered old woman. The girl cries in her mom's lap, and both her parents look stunned and worried.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 12

April 4, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s the 10th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 12 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.

In the gym again, this time all crowded around a new character, Juana, who is covered in ash.

An illustration for page 12 of The Neighborhood's Night by Juliana Catherine. Everyone is crowded around Juana as she tells them the news of the wildfire.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 11

April 3, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s the 9th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 11 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.

This one is another gym scene. Almost like the camera pulled backwards from the last illustration.

An illustration for page 11 of The Neighborhood's Night by Juliana Catherine. The four children are sitting and lying on the cots. Amaya is biting her lip while watching the two moms talk together.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 10

April 2, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s the 8th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 10 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.

This is the only close-up portrait in the story. The two moms are leaning in close together discussing what’s happened. They’re both tired and very worried.

This image is also used on the title page.

An illustration for page 10 of The Neighborhood's Night by Juliana Catherine. The two moms lean in close together discussing what's happened. They're both tired and very worried.

The Neighborhood’s Night – Page 9

April 1, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

Here’s the 7th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 9 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.

Here Leena’s family is getting settled a bit when a family they’re friends with shows up. The woman, Saanvi, is wearing a sari because I’ve seen Indian women in my neighborhood wear these, but I’ve never actually drawn one. So, when the client said they wanted me to make her Indian, I decided to go ahead and give her this traditional outfit while I was at it. It was fun to draw. I kept the decorative pattern really simple, though, because I didn’t want her clothes to have way more detail than the clothes of the other characters in the story so that it looked inconsistent. I do hope I drew it right.

It just occurred to me that I don’t think I drew anyone with glasses on in this story. I should have done that. Oh well. Mental note to self to put some glasses in the drawings for my next project, if possible.