even more scat sketches--

Some more rapid sketching,
inked with a shaved chopstick...
(carved to a point by X-Acto blade)


And for some strange reason
I chose the theme of
"Street People"....

"Scooby-Doo" preliminary art (May, 2001)

One day, out of the blue Scholastic Books asked, at the recommendation of Warner Brothers, if I'd like to illustrate a Scooby-Doo children's book. I'd never done one before so I jumped at the chance. Here are the cover concept roughs, character designs and story thumbnails for "Scooby-Doo and the Invisible Android"--




Final cover art...

New supporting character designs...

When drawing continuity I always start by scribbling directly on the script:
Here are the story pages...











(All Scooby-Doo and related characters are TM & © Hanna-Barbera)

This is the only book I illustrated for Scholastic. I also worked on two still-born books for Golden Books, back when they were having problems, as well as six for Chicago-based publisher Publications International.
It was fun to draw the dog again.

I don't know how else to start this--

--but thirty-eight years ago, at nineteen years of age I drew this pencil sketch, possibly for use as a portfolio piece.
Looking at it now I'm a bit surprised by its real estate and the way it's composed; with Revolver as the firm foundation and Yellow Sub as an extra added attraction on top, a bit of fluff actually. But by featuring a solo Paul Mc Cartney image set slightly above the other Beatles' "Let It Be" images suggests that he'd firmly established his solo career, and that I was highly in favor of it.
I still think that Paul's first solo effort is one of the best records ever made. It's loose and sketchy. And "Maybe I'm Amazed" still holds up.

And why did I think it was necessary to draw John's mic coming out of Ringo's head?

Sorry, Ritchie. You deserved better.

Bjorn on the 4th of July--

Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone!

This one is for WP

Barkers--

I often feel like a 'carnival barker' with this blog, selling some half-baked idea or drawing. But some guys know how to sell product. The recently deceased Billy Mays was one of the greatest pitchmen in the history of television. Cut down in the prime of his life, he will be missed.
Pitch in peace, Mr. Mays.

Dummying up---

sketches inspired by a New York Times article on a Ventriloquist Dummy Museum and visuals from the book "Dummy Days"

a mixed bag

In the middle to late sixties I began to see R. Crumb's artwork in the pages of a rag named 'The Gothic Blimp Works' and another one named 'The East Village Other'. Two hippie newspapers with all of the music, politics and cartoons you can imagine within its pages.

Crumb usually drew the covers, and although it seems like he was always the cover artist his work probably only appeared a few times. But his style made a great impression on me. I'd grown up on MAD comics, belonged to 'The Merry Marvel Marching Society' and always read Batman, but these Crumb comics were something else. And sure, there were other underground comic book artists on the scene, but no one told the kind of stories that he did. Solid, sensible storytelling from beginning to end. The Carl Barks of the underground comics world.

Looking at this old relic of mine after thirty nine years I can see the Crumb influence.
And I'm astonished at how many things are wrong with it.



As soon as I graduated from high school in '69 I got a job in the Post Office. I wasn't looking for a job since it was still summer, but a couple of the older guys on the block were going to take the Civil Service Exam and I tagged along. I passed and got the job. It was well-paying and the Downtown Brooklyn GPO was loaded with hundreds of characters.
I'd draw sketches of some of them and this one is based on a co-worker who thought he was Elvis...



In the mid seventies, when I wasn't playing or rehearsing with the band I was creating imaginary concept art for the band. And I have no idea of what I was thinking at the time this one was cobbled together. Maybe a greatest hits album cover.



Here's the LP crop version--

Still devouring "The Art of Harvey Kurtzman"--

Here are some copy sketches I made of images in the book--






I made this last drawing all by myself!--


(brush & ink)