place mat sketch

Gina and I were at the Cultural Arts Center one day having lunch in the Courtyard Cafe' when a large group of Red Hat Society ladies came in to have their luncheon at the table next to us. Most of their hats were very ornate and attention getting. I made this sketch on a place-mat while we waited on our meals. As you can see, I kind of went overboard with the frill of the hat.

a rising from the dead problem

Here's yet another of the old Skylight cartoons that I've reclaimed for the new area directory. These days I create cartoon panels and add the captions in PhotoShop for illustrations I scanned. The panels of these older cartoons were rendered with a pen (not computer, thus the ink is uneven in flow here and there. I don't mind that - seeing how the cartoons are loose. Today I have been adding the new Light Side logo mast, deleting my old hand printed text and re-entering text using a comic font. This morning as I left the house I was thinking about possibly redrawing all of the images but after sitting down to take a closer look - I like was I see.

A cartoonist friend of mine, Stacy Curtis, used to comment about how I used to draw my hands like mittens. I don't recall where I picked that up. I guess it was because if I didn't need finger action - I left out the detail. I still do it from time to time - usually when drawing kids. When ever I start illustrating a cartoon I do a pencil first. Often, if the penciled image looks good I'll just go ahead and ink it. If a cartoon dude isn't pointing or manipulating an object, I'll ink in a non-defined appendage. Over the past decade though, I usually make a hand look like a hand - a four fingered cartoon hand that is.

By the way, like all of my illustrations, they are all my property and not public domain. You must obtain permission from me to use these. Contact me if you have use for something you see and we'll work something out.

cartoon resurrection

Today I have been working on the 2009 Physician's Area Directory. This is a publication we produce solely for the medical community. Last year I included a handful of cartoons within it's pages - but the humorous panels were content related to medical field. This time around I've decided to simply throw it all into the mix. Last night I ran across some cartoons that I created for the old Christian Brother Association "Skylight" newsletter. I pulled some of my favorites and currently brushing them off to include in this year's directory. The Light Side logo is new as of today. I think it's a definite keeper and enhances the look of the cartoon panel.

thowing caution to the wind

This is an old but good one. Before Rush Limbaugh had his official site - there was the unofficial Rushonline site. I've developed a good bit of political cartoon work for The Web Network (TWN) down through the years. One of my favorite illustrations I did for them is a piece I did during the Clinton administration. The cartoon is based the incident when Bill and Hillary got into a fight - when a hot tempered First Lady hurled a lamp at the Commander In Chief.

RocketMan to the rescue

Here's a job that I finished last month that I meant to post earlier. An old friend who works up in Huntsville,AL threw a party for a genuine rocket scientist friend of his. It was framed and given as a departmental gift for the doctor's birthday. I had fun doing it.

Oversized Postcard Design

Jose' saw a postcard design that I did for our therapy business and asked if I'd come up with a design a mailer for his business. The entire layout was created in Adobe PhotoShop. We left the back of the postcard blank. Usually folks add return address and a stamp box on the back but we decided that this card could be used as a note/calling card as well. It is a nice piece to paperclip to the top of a job estimate. I like the idea of Jose' being able to use this project as a direct mail piece and as a presentation piece.

We used VistaPrint to print him us the postcards as well as business cards for both of his businesses. I am a big believer in the online print service VistaPrint. I can order full color printing at small quantities and the turn around is very fast. I have yet to be disappointed with their services.

Take note of the Rodriguez Home Builders, LLC logo. It's my handiwork as well - and proud of it! The house was rendered in CorelDraw and then thrown into PhotoShop for text treatment and tweaking.

batteries not included

Here's cover art for the area phyisicain's directory. The illustration was generated in Corel Draw and then sweetened in Adobe PhotoShop. Most of you babyboomers out there might find this helmet-haired guy familiar. I thought paying tribute to this 60's favorite game would make an eye catching cover. By the way, it was Gina's (my wife) idea to add the tweezers at the top. I don't mind suggestions and comments from folks looking over my shoulder. Ideas are often fleshed out and outcome perfected as other minds are welcomed into the creative process. By the way, the game Operation is still on the market today. Last year my daughter was given the Shrek version of the game.