Hidden Picture – Hiking Trail

April 15, 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 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.

Fish for Garbage Project – Cover

April 3, 2024April 4, 2024Leave a comment

This image, the only full-color illustration, was for the cover.

Squirrel Book 8 of 10

March 16, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

Chapter 7 has two illustrations. This one is when an owl scoops up one of the family dogs. Rocky runs out to make a loud commotion, which startles the owl into dropping the dog. The author says it’s a true story.

She paid for a half page illustration for this one. When designing the layout, I realized that the image would benefit from as much height as possible. I thought, well, it’s supposed to be a half page, but we didn’t specify which half. Usually half pages are landscape (horizontal) format top or bottom half pages. But a left or right half page would meet the requirements also. I was proud of how it turned out.

A cartoon illustration of an owl in mid-flight. It's just dropped a white lapdog who is depicted in mid-fall and terrified. Below them both on the ground is a squirrel chittering and waving its arms. The scene includes a gravel driveway, bordered by grass going off into the distance. There are trees and hills way off behind. There are dandelions in the foreground grass.

Squirrel Book 7 of 10

March 14, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

This is Chapter 6. Sylvia was attacked by a big red squirrel when she was off on her own. Rocky is coming to help as fast as he can.

A cartoon illustration of a squirrel fight. One squirrel is holding down another on a branch. His hand is raised, poised to scratch. The squirrel being held down is very angry and is holding an arm up to shield her face. She's pushing her attacker away with her legs. A third squirrel is running down a nearby branch, on his way to rescue his girlfriend.

Squirrel Book 6 of 10

March 12, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

In Chapter 5, Rocky and Sylvia are in the trees arguing with an angry black bird.

A cartoon illustration of two squirrels arguing with an angry blackbird. The blackbird is on a branch in the foreground facing away from the viewer and the squirrels are on a distant branch looking back at him and the viewer. The blackbird is cawing and the squirrels are chittering back, gesturing in agitation. They all look angry or annoyed.

Squirrel Book 5 of 10

March 10, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

On to Chapter 4. Rocky and his girlfriend, Sylvia, have been trapped together in a live animal trap. A strawberry was used as bait.

A cartoon illustration of two squirrels, hugging each other in fear, as they huddle inside a live animal trap. There is a strawberry with a bite out of it near them on the floor of the cage. The cage is isolated on white.

Squirrel Book 4 of 10

March 8, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

On to Chapter 3. The squirrel, Rocky, has been released and is showing off his moves for a girl squirrel. Only, he doesn’t quite stick the landing.

A cartoon illustration depicting one squirrel showing off for another squirrel up among the tree branches. The showoff runs down the trunk, backflips to a branch, summersaults along it, misses the landing, and falls off the branch. Movement is shown by a series of drawings of the same squirrel within one scene to show key positions in the string of his movement. Motion lines help define the path of movement. The second squirrel is watching from a distant branch with both concern and amusement.

Squirrel Book 3 of 10

March 6, 2023March 6, 2023Leave a comment

Here’s the illustration for Chapter 2. This shows a man trying to teach a squirrel how to dig up acorns.

A cartoon illustration of a man kneeling in a bed of wood chips next to a shallow hole he's just dug. He's holding out his hand to show an acorn sitting in his palm. A squirrel sitting next to him looks at the acorn with a puzzled expression, scratching its head.

Squirrel Book 2 of 10

March 4, 2023March 4, 2023Leave a comment

Here’s the second illustration for Chapter 1. This illustrates where a thunderstorm knocks the terrified baby squirrel right out of his nice, warm nest. He’s young enough that his eyes aren’t open yet and the fur on his tail hasn’t grown out long yet. I was particularly proud of the lighting.

A cartoon illustration of a baby squirrel falling from a tree during a nighttime thunderstorm. The view is from below looking up. Lightning splits the sky and the lighting is backlit and dramatic.

Squirrel Book 1 of 10

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023Leave a comment

Rocky the Human Squirrel by Jean Ball-Maurer, which I illustrated, is now out in ebook as well as paperback. https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Human-Squirrel-Jean-Ball-Maurer/dp/B0BW385B6V

I already shared the cover, so now I’ll share the interiors. It’s an illustrated chapter book, so these are all black and white. Here’s the first one. It illustrates a section explaining who Rocky is and explaining some facts about squirrels.