Hidden Picture – River Bank

April 17, 2024April 4, 2024Leave a comment

I recently completed a project for Utah-based Fish for Garbage, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes communities through waterway cleanups and watershed education. They commissioned me to create a series of illustrations for a children’s activity book.

This image is the second of two hidden picture puzzles. I saved this one until last because it’s my favorite. That’s the same duck from several pages ago. Having him visible both above and below the waterline really sold the idea that he was floating on the water and what was underneath was the underwater view. And just look at those duck feet! So cute!

I’m really not an expert at drawing fish, but I work from references and do my best. The client said the one brown trout I drew had a longer snout than the other, which is actually called a kype and is sought after by fishermen. I don’t really know enough about them to do that intentionally, but I’m so glad it turned out to be a feature and not a bug. Serendipity.

Can you find all 8 items? There’s a cigarette butt, a tin can, a plastic spoon, a plastic drinking straw, a deflated balloon, a deflated inner tube, a plastic bag, and a flip-flop sandal. The client said they find a surprising number of uninflated inner tubes at their cleanup events.

I will say that, between this one and the previous illustration, I spent SO much time drawing little circles for all that gravel. But it was worth it!

A hidden picture puzzle scene showing both underwater and above water views of a river bank.

Hidden Picture – Hiking Trail

April 15, 2024April 4, 2024Leave a comment

This image is the first of two a hidden picture puzzles. Can you find all 8 items? There’s a soda bottle, a drink cup, a flip-flop sandal, a chip bag, a soda can, a plastic fork, a deflated balloon, and a set of 6-pack rings. The hidden items were chosen because they’re items often found during the organization’s cleanup events.

This image is a version of the illustration that was used as the cover image. The cover image was in color and without the hidden items. But it still has the same expansive view and variety of wild animals.

Color Version of Inktober #9

November 3, 2020April 28, 2021Leave a comment

And here’s a color version of #9 – Throw. Just made the fox and the ball orange.

Illustration for the nineth day of the 2020 Inktober illustration prompt: Throw.

Veterinarian’s Office – Image 3

April 17, 2019March 31, 2019Leave a comment

One more piece for Learning A-Z. A different view of the waiting room in a veterinarian’s office.

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Veterinarian’s Office – Image 1

April 8, 2019Leave a comment

Here’s a recent piece for Learning A-Z. The waiting room in a veterinarian’s office. The unusual clientele is because this is for the educational market. The words for the animals (except for the cat) all have unusual plural forms. Wolf/wolves, sheep/sheep, goose/geese, mouse/mice.

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Page 18 and 19

October 3, 2015Leave a comment

A two-page spread from my current picture book commission.

Here’s all the characters except the coyotes. Wild turkey babies are splochy like this when they’re really little. It hides them in the grass and underbrush. I draw them differently later in the book because they’re older then. The white one is an albino and is worried because, since he’s white, he can’t hide like the others.
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Scimitar-Horned Oryx

August 4, 2014July 28, 2014Leave a comment

_DSC0390 500 Look at those horns!

Like many things, this was a more impressive shot in person. all those horns all going the same way arching over the little herd… I dunno. But in the photo, the background detracts, so I desaturated it. Then there’s how brown and white aren’t really colors that pop and it looks silly if I bump them up too much. Oh, well. At least their horns stand out from the trees so you can see them well.

Don’t Make the Grizzly Angry

April 14, 2014April 14, 20142 Comments

Cartoon-Girl-Animals-500

This was an experimental piece. I was practicing several things.

– Cartoon females in this sort of bit-headed cute style.
– Expressive poses (body and face)
– Full background

I’m not really sure what’s going on in this scene except that it’s probably not a good idea for a cat to tick off a grizzly.

Since this was an experiment, I welcome critique and feedback on this piece.

Bear and Coyote

September 17, 2013May 22, 20196 Comments

And here’s something completely different. Bear and Coyote. I think Coyote shouldn’t have stolen Bear’s fish. But Coyote, being the trickster he is, will get out of it somehow.

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Full Disclosure:
I should mention that, although this is in a tribal style with Native American folklore characters, I’m not a member of any indigenous nation. I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking I identify as a Native Artist.

I don’t plan to do any more in this style because I’m worried that it counts as cultural appropriation. I did this one because I think the style is beautiful and I wanted to see what I could do with it. I really like how it turned out and it’s my own idea and my own story, but it isn’t in a style I have a cultural connection with. I don’t want to upset anyone and I can see how it might, so I’ll limit myself to just this one.

Animal Photos

July 23, 2013July 23, 2013Leave a comment

On my recent vacation we went to Door County, WI. There’s a big petting zoo called The Farm just north of Sturgeon Bay that we visited. The girls got to look at and pet the animals. I took pictures.