The Boulevard of Broken Dreams (and Killed Sketches)

The business of illustration demands flexibility and kind of mercenary approach to image-making. Illustrators pride themselves on believing that nothing is too sacred or too important to scrap at a moments notice. But every now and then, it really hurts when a beloved image gets killed at the last minute. I was on the hot seat for the The New York Times Op-Ed Sunday page for over the weekend (Sunday is a most desirable page to get).

For this article about accurately measuring the amount of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico, I sent the following ideas.





It is rare that an art director will let you take a crack at the page design as well as the illustration. So, I was pretty sure we'd end up with idea C, the freestanding measuring cup. BUT, the very best idea approved, sketch B, where the column of text forms the oil spill. The amazing Aviva had even worked out a rough layout of the text for me to work with.



BUT, as is common in the newspaper business, things change quickly and the column was moved around, leaving no room for art. So, this amazing idea is dead in the water. Still a bit hurt. Viva La Illustration.

AIGA 50 Books/ 50 Covers Show

Mark Helfin, Director of American Illustration and Matthew Lenning, Art Director Extraordinaire, contacted me yesterday with some great news. The American Illustration 28 book was juried into the AIGA 50/50 show, collecting the best book designs of 2009. It is an exciting honor because the competition is really about design and not specifically titled towards favoring illustration- so to be included is thrilling.

The AIGA website has a collection up of the 2008 winners.



The jury’s selections will be mounted as a public exhibition scheduled to open at the AIGA National Design Center in New York in 2010. In addition, the show will travel to AIGA chapters, student groups and galleries throughout the country and China during 2011. In addition, one copy of the book will be housed at the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library within the Butler Library, Columbia University in New York, and a second one in the AIGA graphic design archives at the Denver Art Museum.

ICON Interview

Most of you know that I am on the board producing ICON, The Illustration Conference, taking place this summer in Los Angeles. As the PR chair, I've done a interview with Escape from Illustration Island about the conference, my work and teaching. Check out the new podcast here along with several other great conversations about illustration on the archive. Thanks to Thomas James and his great work over at Escape from Illustration Island!

Drawing in Church- 5/9

I've been in the batcave for the last month finishing up the art for my upcoming book about Civil War hero, Sarah Edmonds. It is a wonderful story written by Marissa Moss and the art is really starting to take shape, hope to post some sneak preview images soon. I have two more months left before the final deadline and I'll be drawing non-stop till then. But, somehow I find time to waste an hour drawing in my sketchbook. Did I mention I'm behind on the final art?