Last week, I got an enjoyable assignment for Mother Jones- a piece about the sudden devastating flood that hit Eagle, Alaska when a glacier unexpectedly broke up. Though the article is about the dangers people face who are on the front lines of global warming, the art director hoped for a kind of illustration that I rarely get enjoy- the adventure story! Illustration used to be full of drawings that were related to fiction and non-fiction adventure tales, so the chance to illustrate a moment from a very harrowing tale of disaster and rescue was a welcome challenge.
I did thumbnails and ended up with a bunch of solutions that felt right, but similar to other 'flood' related drawings I have done. This was my first tight sketch.
Before I sent this, which felt right but was familiar, I remember thinking, "How could I solve this in the hardest way possible?" So, I did a quick idea that was seen from below the flood itself- a big challenge in just the construction of the image itself. Tim Luddy, the art director really liked that one and I was excited to have the best one picked for the final art.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JcnuUQnZSH0HvtDC02myTcOZzo0ORM-zfwSctYGqG1bVKSk2wgCWIAFgG6Lc0oec_jbDL7mM3rjIbTFEpk8ens8_fnSVApQwNlHgfegi1PDEzu59_USav_-TIjZP_EWQrcU0/s400/JH_SketchB_72.jpg)
I did a color study and got some good reference for the final drawing- like actual sled dogs and the precise model of the helicopter mentioned in the story. You'll notice I had to photoshop the ladder out of the final drawing, the editor caught that in the story it lands on the roof of the house, so they didn't need a ladder.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0C1FsmVe5hloAntx2JhDY3xBlMRHPhSyS-E5rAJ-QX-bu42POlUsY_zN4YdCbObMWiMvA62FUlyyyDOEnVpF4aRzY-VIrncJCsFqYRaGlrtheJPr9VHh3NoiAjlXKI3McJA3E/s320/colorcomp_72.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGrBNjKh7qE5l4GrlEK6LofnKTlGM5mHhrgVBR1IxejL85pVCsZXe0GKqECwRQ6jEdzKqdHjiovhbNXq5KHHgclKm2sA1vbO2u3KwJ7N0m84i9kuy7m-nAXZEuqvIn247R0Lz/s320/EagleMap_72.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLItUk0VMuwgYe834M2fYgZ457IN0H_x6MkUz-N-7aUHJehSIpCecJ7w0ZWHfQ5Fx7Zyevw1MgN7R6EWjnkv1vkmu5Z4j2YG6H2fONRO8nIHzM0RY8KdFG5Pn8H-k-c76Si3Vv/s400/EagleFlood_FINAL_72+copy.jpg)
5 comments:
thats great, I like the new perspective that lead to the final piece.
Thanks guys- I was regretting picking the hard one when it was two days till the deadline and I had just finished the final sketch!
I agree, that point of view from below rocks. Com-freaking-pletely rocks, that is.
I love those hapless sled dogs... though I sincerely hope they're not drowning. :(
Lovely work creating the sense of chaos underwater but still maintaining a clear visual hierarchy. Your subtlety in handling the primary color palette is also really great.
Hi, there's a beautiful hand-colored print by you in a sort of privately-owned church on New York street, here in Lawrence. I came here to your site because I saw your John Brown book. Where can I get one of those prints like the one in that New York street building? Especially a hand-colored one.
Thank you!
John Ralston
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