Baroque Obama... man of words, man of action?

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The Baroque period in art, roughly from 1600 to 1750, generally speaking, was a dynamic era... spacious, colorful, an age of expansion and of new science called the "Enlightenment." It signified that the old, dark, mythical way of reading the world had been given up and the light of knowledge had brought a new day.

The word “Baroque” may be of Portuguese origin from “barroco” meaning an irregularly shaped pearl. Maybe Barack Obama is the symbolic "pearl" signifying the dark days of the Bush administration are over and our country (and the world) are at the dawn of a truly new and enlightened period. Maybe 2009 will be the beginning of unprecedented changes in society, so that 50 years from now these ongoing advances in technology and shifts in spirituality will result in a world without pollution, without war and far less poverty.

Posted above is a quick caricature I did this weekend of President-elect Obama as “Baroque Obama.” Hopefully we will all discover very soon he'll begin backing up the powerful and inspiring words of his campaign speeches with powerful action...

All the Art That's Fit to Print (And Some That Wasn't)

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This week I was invited to the book publication/author signing party here in Manhattan of the new book, “All the Art That's Fit to Print (And Some That Wasn't) -Inside The New York Times Op-Ed Page” published by the Columbia University Press. It is written by Jerelle Kraus, the NY Times Op-Ed Page art director (and image contributor) from 1979 through 1992... I received my invitation to the event due to having been a regular contributor of social & political drawings to the NY Times Op-Ed Page from 1980 through 1985, and then only sporadically after that. 

Back in 1979, when I graduated from Parsons School of Design, one of my instructors was J.C. Suares, the well-known art director, designer, illustrator, and film maker... and who was then the art director of New York magazine, and also had been the art director of the NY Times Op-Ed Page before Jerelle Kraus. Upon my graduation he immediately began commissioning me to create illustrations for New York magazine, and one day at New York magazine he pulled me aside and told me to visit Jerelle Kraus at The New York Times, to show her my portfolio, as she was the new art director of the famed Op-Ed Page. 

Jerelle saw something she liked in the dark, organic, line drawings I was doing at the time, and subsequently she began hiring me to create drawings for the Op-Ed page, as well as for the Letters to the Editor page. I was only 21 years old when I had my first Op-Ed Page drawing appear in The New York Times! When I reflect back, it seems like a lifetime ago... and a fuzzy dream that I had been so lucky to have participated in creating images for that world stage at such a young age. (I think myself, and fellow image-makers Martin Kozlowski (aka KOZ), and Mark Podwal all share the distinction of having been the youngest contributors to The New York Times Op-Ed Page at age 21.) 

At the book signing event, I met with Jerelle, the first time I had seen her in about 23 years, and she graciously signed a copy of the book with a warm inscription to me. I expressed what an honor it is to have been a part of the Op-Ed Page's graphic history. Thus far I have only read parts of the book, but it is a fascinating account of her interactions with the artists and her head-butting with the editors. I remember back in the early 80's when I would deliver my drawings to her office at the Times (remember, this was before the fax, personal computer and internet!), on the wall I always saw a photo of her in the Oval Office with President Richard Nixon... and now, in this book, I finally learned the story behind the photo. 

Posted above is the cover of Jerelle's wonderful new book, and also one of my drawings (from about 1982) included in the book... an image about the Soviet's bloated military budget relative to their meager social program expenditures.

Investing in Heaven or Hell?

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This image (one of about 30 images) was created last year for the Forbes magazine "Richest 400" issue... Upon looking at it again recently, it made me wonder which way some of these investment executives are heading when they leave this earth (considering their creative investment vehicles undermined their own companies, drove our economy over a cliff and pulled a lot of hard working people's life saving along for the plunge, all while they garnered extremely high salaries or bonuses in the process).

Re-growth... It's a Natural Process. (patience required!)

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Have you ever been walking in a city... and spotted a lone, beautiful, little flower popping up from out of a tiny crack in the sea of concrete? It makes you stop a moment and marvel at its effort. When the dust settles a bit from the recent dramatic financial tailspin, we will all see the beginnings of growth again, even in areas where one least might have expected it. If you find yourself feeling beaten down, just look for that tiny crack above your head and keep PUSHING toward the sky!

The image posted above is an illustration I did so long ago, I cannot remember which magazine or client it was initially created for, but it seemed appropriate to show it again now.

“Tighten Your Belt” (if you even have a belt left to tighten!) -and “Is the Party Over?”

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The top image posted here, of the man contemplating his ample sized pants, was created for Business Week magazine, and the bottom two images are from an illustration I created quite a few years ago for a magazine article about that year's champagne industry's low sales figures... and it seemed also an appropriate metaphor for the current US economy's dramatic negative stock market reversals. (I added the "2008" onto the bottle's label, to make it time appropriate)

My new title for this image should be, "From Cristal Back to Kool-Aid"

PANTALOON -a view of work in progress...

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Currently I am working on the final illustrations for Random's release of the 1951 classic Golden Book for children, PANTALOON. (see my earlier post regarding this picture book project)

Posted here are a few studio pictures of my table with one individual illustration in progress... showing the multitude of paint cups at hand, and a print out of the sketch taped above the original image being worked on.

process: I work out the sketches for the entire book in a small scale. First with very small thumbnails, then more resolved sketches at about 4" x 5" size. I scan these small sketches into Photoshop where I further modify the sketches and enlarge them. Then I print out these "full size" sketches. Each sketch is then placed on the light table and Arches 260 lb hot press paper is laid on top (that has the book trim size marks and gutter indicated very lightly in pencil). I then copy the sketch image onto the Arches paper, lightly in pencil, but it is not a mere "copying" of the sketch underneath... I make many last second changes, adjustments and refinements to the image as I re-draw it onto the Arches paper.

Now I am ready to start painting. I use Windsor & Newton gouaches and watercolors (mostly gouache, though). And I never create the final images in the same order as they will appear in the book. Usually I will start with an "easy image" to get started, one with just a single character rather than a scene with multiple characters, etc... to ease into the book, sort of like dipping your toe in the tub in case the water is too hot!

Puzzles for MUDPUPPY

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If you have never visited MUDPUPPY, do so! It is a terrific site for purchasing picture books, stationary, puzzles, games, and much more... all expressly for young children. Recently Mudpuppy art director Cynthia Matthews asked me to illustrate some simple animal puzzles for their First Sounds line of puzzles. She had seen some of my illustrated children's picture books and felt my style would be a perfect match for her puzzle project.

Posted above are (details of) their final packaging layouts of the puzzle packaging box, using the four images (and hand lettering) I created for the actual puzzles. (a pig, dog, cat and duck) The final product, I believe, will be available on their retail web site beginning sometime in 2009. www.mudpuppy.com