Illustration Friday: Flying

When you're skating really fast, it give you the sensation of flying. Ok, it's a stretch, but maybe these kids just used flying to describe how speedy they were, like, "Man, I was totally flying across the pond! It was wicked!"

That's what I would have said when I was a kid. Actually, I'll say that this winter when I go skating.

Illustration Friday: Packed

He's packed and heading down to the train yard because, well...

He kept dreamin'
That someday he'd be a star.
But he sure found out the hard way
That dreams don't always come true.
So he pawned all his hopes
and he even sold his old car
Bought a one way ticket
To the life he once knew,
Oh yes he did,
He said he would
Be leavin
On that midnight train to Georgia

Watch this video and tell me you don't want to be one of the Pips. The suits, the moves... I always wanted to be a Pip.

Illustration Friday: Routine

Y'all can't compete with the Professor's mad pop and lock routine.

He's the better of the best, best believe he's the badddest.

Illustration Friday: Fierce!

Kids today just don't respect the ferocious fierceness of life's felonious, fanged beasts, what with their iPods, video games and the like.

Despite valiantly vile efforts, even the most cantankerous of carnivorous creatures is greeted with a collective "meh", by this new, gadget-minded generation.

'tis sad, 'tis sad.

On a happier note, this image is available as a big ol' poster at my store.

Along with many other fine products.

Illustration Friday: Punchline!

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.

Illustration Friday: Homage

My homage to one of my favorite comics of all time, Madman,

by one of my favorite artists of all time, Mike Allred.

I've been trying to make a point of reading "The Oddity Odyssey" once a year, and every time it's the bees knees.

Illustration Friday: Tales and Legends

The legend of the unemployed Yeti! Yetis (is that how you plural "yeti"?) are pretty legendary, right?

If you've been reading this blog, you've seen a bunch of my ideas for children's books. Most of them have been little germs of concepts, just enough to get me to draw something for the ol' portfolio and then file it away until that point in the future when I actually sit down to write a manuscript. This one however has been swirling around in my head for a couple of days and it's been so much fun thinking about it that I may have to speed that process up and get to writing and drawing the whole thing. I'll do the five or six finished sample pages I've been working towards for other book projects, but I have a feeling I'll spend more time fleshing it out and hopefully getting it right.

Illustration Friday: Excess!

TOO MANY FINGERS!!!

I imagine that if you were born with seven fingers on one hand, you'd get used to it pretty quickly. You might even find ways to put the extra digits to good use.

But just waking up one morning to find a couple of new fingers just happened to sprout while you were sleeping?

"Gah!" indeed.

Illustration Friday: Hats!

I saw that the topic was hats, and I drew this. That's all I have to say about that.

Illustration Friday: Trick or Treat!

This is what my kids looked like last night. Their heads really are that huge. For serious.

Illustration Friday: Momentum

Whew, I didn't think I was ever going to get this done!

I figure the Hulk has quite a bit of momentum as he's coming down from one of his giant leaps, ready to smash. Why won't puny men leave Hulk alone?

My posting has been more sporadic than usuaI because I've had a lot on my plate lately. Hopefully I can post some new stuff again soon.

In the meantime, I did redesign my website. Check it out here!

Excelsior!

Illustration Friday: Captain

Captain Nebuchadnezzar Crunch, 1631 - 1695. Captain N. Crunch was a brilliant seaman and military strategist, as well as a cullinary mastermind. He combined all of these skills in what is perhaps his best known strategy, attacking the enemy at dawn, before they have had the opportunity to eat a breakfast rich in 10 essential vitamins and minerals. In the eyes of the Captain, "The malnourished shall find a quick death upon the end of my rapier, and those who have tasted the bounty of the earth at the wee hours of the morning shall win the day." So as to avoid this stragey being used upon his crew, the Captain developed a cold cereal which consisted of small bundles of corn, oats, wheat grass and roofing nails along with some crunchy, dried berries which was served 3 times daily on his ship. Though some of the crew sustained minor injuries to the roof of their mouths, they were generally a hearty, healthy lot. Captain N. Crunch served in the royal navy of King Vitamin for two score and five until his untimely, and rather shocking, death by mauling at the hands of the usually docile Sugar Bear of the Netherlands.

Illustration Friday: Emergency!

I would consider that an emergency.

Illustration Friday: Moon

An old sentimental favorite. And it has a moon in it. I actually have a number of images with the moon in it. I like the moon.

Illustration Friday: Discovery

No telling what you'll find for lunch in a dumpster. Time to head back to the zoo Mr. Blue.

Illustration Friday: Camouflage

When I saw the topic this week, "camouflage", This was the first thing that came to mind. Well, ok that's not true. Initially I thought of something more menacing, like the tree was going to eat the child, but I thought better of it. Then I started to develop this idea of a monster that looked like a tree and was friends with an otherwise friendless boy. It's really rough, and so is this image. I have no idea how far I'll go to develop it, so stay tuned. There may be more of these guys around soon.

Illustration Friday: Cars

Or only one car, in the case of this image. This is an old one, from a Disney Adventures job a few years ago. It accompanied a little sidebar about an old-timey race care driver who had a pet money be drove around with. I think the Monkey's name was Jocko Flocko.

Illustration Friday: Hide

This is another children's book piece for the refocused portfolio. See the blue bear? He's hiding.

Illustration Friday: Ghost!

It's the Poop Ghost!

Crude? Yes. But it makes me laugh. In fact, from now on, when I am in the presence of someone who passes gas, I will just think it's a little poop ghost escaping.

And I will laugh some more.

The photo belongs to my brother, Matthew Crowther, the photographer. Used without permission.

Sorry I cropped it so much Matt.

Illustration Friday: Trouble!

Going off that diet again? He's in BIG trouble now!

This one is old, but it works well for this week's topic.