Entering Santa’s workshop
book promotion, illustration processI took a cinematography class when I was a teenager, and one of the movies we studied was The Bicycle Thieves. A poor man gets a job putting movie posters up around Rome, but his bicycle—without which he can't put up the posters—is stolen. …
Santa’s sleigh
book promotion, illustration processReference, thumbnail sketch, tight sketch, final painting. From The Year Without a Santa Claus—
I didn't take these photos; they're from auction sites I found on the web.
Mark Wills and Sgt McClaus on stage!
book promotionSorry for the late notice—I just found out myself! The U.S. Army Band is performing their annual “Holiday Festival” four-concert series this weekend at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. This year they have country music’s…
What are you doing on Saturday?
book promotion, self promotionIf you live anywhere near Clarion, PA and you're not busy Saturday, December 11th, come on out to The Bathtub, The Kitchen Sink & Petey Dink's (this is all one place with a long name). I'll be signing copies of The Year Without a Santa…
Santa’s eyebrows!
book promotion, illustration process
My friend Jerry Russell (whose fantastic work you can see here) observed that in The Year Without a Santa Claus I "made Santa’s eyebrows black, instead. For more expressive impact, I’m guessing."
It's true that the darker eyebrows make…
Santa’s bed
book promotion, illustration processHere's a shot of Santa getting out of bed from The Year Without a Santa Claus.—the thumbnail sketch and the tight sketch. Luckily I came to my senses and realized that Santa wouldn't sleep in a four-poster—but a sleigh bed!
Santa’s house
book promotion, illustration processThe Year Without a Santa Claus opens with a long shot of Santa Claus' house—the establishing shot, as they say in the movie biz. It's early morning, dark, with light coming from one bedroom window—the only warm spot in the picture.
For…
Cover ideas for Santa
book promotion, illustration processA bunch of sketches for The Year Without A Santa Claus jacket art. In the first few I was trying to summarize the story: Santa is too tired and cranky to deliver presents this year. They don't work well because they don't look fun. Jim…
Henry on the wine dark sea!
book promotionHow fun is this? Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates has been translated into Greek! Kudos to the designer who morphed my title lettering into Greek characters.
UPDATE—my friend Trip (who is a pastor and studied Greek in seminary) says…
Turkey hoe-down
book promotion, illustration processThree thumbnails, one tight sketch and final art from Turkey Day.
