Some dudes.

My niece drew these up for me a few weeks ago. I just love that she can draw... and draw "funny".
These both just make me smile. Thanks, Ash!

Jump! Picture Book Dummy

If you'd like to take a look at one of my picture book dummies, click here. Especially if you're a picture book publisher.

One of the cool things about my attempts to paint with realism is the discovery of things like, white tennis shoes aren't really white.

Apple Mary Original

An original Apple Mary from its first year to be drawn by Dale Conner and written by Allen Saunders. It was created by Martha Orr in 1932. Apple Mary eventually became Mary Worth.

Less I$ More

Graham Hill, the founder of Treehugger, believes that we can live happier lives and save money by limiting the stuff we own and the space we need.


To prove his point that less is more, he recently launched a design competition called Life Edited. Hill is asking people to propose how he can transform his new, 420-square-foot New York apartment into an ultra-low-impact living and work space. (To put that in perspective, the average master bathroom is about 100 square feet.)

Hill thinks that by cutting out extraneous stuff, digitizing media, and creating spaces that can serve multiple functions—a lounge that doubles as a guest room, perhaps—it should be possible to create a small apartment that can accommodate two overnight guests, the occasional twelve-person dinner party, and a home office.


Hill and Life Edited are awarding $70,000 in cash, products, and contracts to the best ideas, and the winning concept will be used to actually renovate Hill's apartment in mid-2011. He will literally live with the results. You can find the full creative brief here and a Flickr set of images of the apartment in its current state here.

http://lifeedited.treehugger.com/learn.html

What If...?

What If Marvel Comics' John Romita had worked for DC Comics?

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Superman

For inking practice, I used the ol' Pocket Brush Pen over a couple of old Superman photos. I took liberties with the likenesses, but they're based on Ray Middleton, who appeared as Superman at the 1939 New York World's Fair's "Superman Day", and Kirk Alyn of the Superman movie serials.

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Original Blondie 1931

Click to enlarge.

The State of Picture Books

Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children

From the New York Times

There's Good News and Good News about Picture Books

From the Huffington Post

Tarzan Original

A Rex Maxon original Tarzan comic from 1934. Maxon took over Tarzan from Hal Foster in 1929 and illustrated it until 1947. Click to enlarge.

Pogo

An original Pogo by Walt Kelly from 1968. Click to enlarge.

Are You A Superhero Or Supervillian?

NEW YORK – There may be a hero in all of us, but there's also a possible supervillain waiting to run amuck if one of us were to acquire superhuman strength or the ability to fly. In a society that reveres superheroes, just how many people could follow the do-gooder's path if they were suddenly bitten by the radioactive spider?

That thought may not weigh heavily on the costumed attendees of New York City's Comic Con that kicked off today (Oct. 8). Yet the odds for ordinary people becoming superheroes rather than villains don't look great when news headlines frequently tell stories of corruption among those with power – politicians, law enforcement and business leaders. And everyone has witnessed the more petty abuses of power that take place in workplaces and on the playground.

Yes, power does corrupt, researchers say. But they add it can also... 

Full Story

1953 Beetle Bailey

Bob Montana Originals

I'll never be able to pick a favorite Archie artist. Each one brought something important and unique to the character. These strips were drawn by Archie co-creator Bob Montana, upon whose work every other Archie artist built.

Click to enlarge