Twisselman: IF

Illustration Friday: Paisley

2010-06-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Sherman came to work on Monday proudly displaying his Father's Day gift.

Happy Everyday and paisley peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Strong

2009-09-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Putting up three re-posts in honor of my old friend Blackie, who had to be put down a couple of weeks back due to a cancerous tumor. Some of you may remember these posts from previous years, when I used our adopted SPCA mutt as a model for some of the IF topics.

I'm using the 'Superhero' illo as a submission for 'Strong', but I'm also including two others I did of Blackie... one for 'Chair' and another for 'Portrait.'

He was a good friend that we had the pleasure of hosting in our house for fifteen years. He was completely deaf the last few years, and that tumor crippled him the last couple of months, but he never lost his wag or his good spirit, even on his last day. The veterinarian agreed that the cancer had finally spread to his lungs (his breathing had become labored), and an operation for a dog his age was out of the question. He was truly strong to the end.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Celebrate

2009-02-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

Our little corner of the world has suffered from a couple of years of drought, so I celebrate the rain that has visited us these past few weeks. The wind and the wet really hurt the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (the corporate descendant of Bing Crosby's Clambake), but the weather has always been iffy for that tournament anyway... always a gamble.

We're about up to normal, year-to-date, but that still doesn't get us out of the dry woods.

So to all you fair-weather fans, let us have our day in the showers. Peace to all, and don't forget your galoshes.

Illustration Friday: Resolve

2009-01-03T07:20:00.001-08:00

There's a worthy organization that can be found at www.resolveuganda.org. Go to that site. I'll let it speak more ably than I can.

Peace to all, and especially to the troubled lands in Africa.

Illustration Friday- Clandestine

2008-12-31T12:46:00.000-08:00

Stereotypical cloak and dagger, Spy vs. Spy stuff comes to mind when I think of the word 'clandestine.' Dark alleys, microfilm, and the like.

This past year has been somewhat of a drag for my household, which is why I haven't been posting to Illustration Friday... too many time-consuming unpleasantries. But we still count our blessings, which are many, no matter what comes our way.

Here's to a better New Year. Peace to all, and keep your eyes open for shady characters.

Illustration Friday: Memories

2008-08-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

Upon graduating from college, I gave myself a present of a then state of the art sound system. A Pioneer turntable, a Concept tuner, Cerwin-Vega speakers, and a Pioneer cassette deck (replacing my old eight-track tape player)... all perched on a cinder block entertainment center. Sitting above the bakery in my rented room ($40 a month... whatta deal), music was a much bigger part of my life in those days.

Peace to all, and stay clear of the melancholy blues.

Illustration Friday: Rude Teen

2008-08-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this is my submission for Rude... what's that? Oh, crud. Guess I didn't read the subject carefully enough... Oh, well, it is what it is.

Peace to everyone, and keep your routines rude-free.

Illustration Friday: Foggy

2008-07-17T16:06:00.001-07:00

You are just a dreamer,
and I am just a dream.
You could have been
anyone to me.
Before that moment
you touched my lips
That perfect feeling
when time just slips
Away between us
on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer
where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but
I'm getting blown away.

From 'Like A Hurricane,' words and music by Neil Young

The illustration is based on a photo by a San Francisco Chronicle photographer, name unknown to me.

Peace to all, and keep your wheels on the road side of the fog line.

Illustration Friday: Sour

2008-07-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

It only took a few minutes of socializing for Hank's mood to go south, and he soon retreated to the driveway with his whiskey sour and a cigarette.

Peace to all, and don't drink alone.

Illustration Friday: Wide

2008-05-16T19:08:00.001-07:00

Shameless product placement: Mickey's Wide Mouth, aka Mickey's Wide Mouse.

We on California's central coast are going through a heat wave. Cervezas of any brand hit the spot on days like these.

Peace to everyone. Stay hydrated and choose a designated driver.

Illustration Friday: Electricity

2008-05-13T21:12:00.001-07:00

It is not widely known that prior to the kite escapade Ben Franklin experimented with cats and static electricity.

Peace to all, and pick up your feet when walking across shag carpets.

Illustration Friday: Excess

2007-11-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

Peace, everyone, and watch those waistlines over the holidays.

Illustration Friday: The Zoo

2007-11-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

“I think the monkeys at the zoo should have to wear sunglasses so they can't hypnotize you.”

-Jack Handy

Had to resort to searching for a quote on the subject. Found this one that was just weird enough to illustrate.

Peace to all, and take care of your Foster-Grants.

Illustration Friday: Superstition

2007-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

One Superstitious Fellow

Cuko was a familiar sight on the streets of a certain agricultural town in the heart of a certain Central California valley. He seemed to always be heading to somewhere or from somewhere and always with a bag of groceries, though no one could recall ever seeing him go in or out of either of the two grocery stores in town.

Aside from the ever-present straw cowboy hat on his head, he was never seen without a dime lodged in each ear.

When asked why he carried the dimes about in such a manner, he would respond with a sly grin, "When people say I have no sense in my head... Well, I just point to these." And he would continue on his way.

One night at the beer and wine joint, when free drinks had come from the other end of the long bar in rapid succession, and he was particularly borracho, he confided to Charlie and Louie with the utmost seriousness that the dimes were firmly in place to protect him from the space men who visited from time to time.

The two young men thought they had finally been let in on the answer to one of the town's greatest mysteries, until Shorty told them a week later that Cuko typically varied the villains in his story between the space aliens and CIA agents and foreign spies. Evidently, the dimes were protecting valuable information for which any, or all, of these entities would stop at nothing to retrieve.

Illustration Friday: Scale

2007-11-11T07:02:00.001-08:00

The accident at the lab, which scaled Harris to a perfect 1:12 version of his previous self, reduced his food bill considerably.

Peace to everyone.

Illustration Friday: Hat

2007-11-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

• Sitting Bull (1831-1890)
• Hat (lifespan unknown)

Based on a photo from the Western History Department, Denver Public Library.

Also included in this post is the 'J, K, & L' portion of the critter alphabet. At this rate, I should have all twenty-six letters done by mid-2009.

Peace to you all, and may you wear your hats in good health.

Illustration Friday: Trick or Treat... and More

2007-10-30T20:26:00.001-07:00

So, I'm trying to play catch-up. Yeah, so there's a jester for 'Trick or Treat', those drama masks for 'extremes', the growing power of the White House for 'grow' (a modified version of the post for 'phobia' a few months back), an open heart for 'open', and a photo illustration for 'the blues'.

Oh, and, yeah, I've still got those stinking alphabet critters under development. Where did I leave off? 'J, K, L'? Someday.

Peace and take care, all.

Illustration Friday: Juggle

2007-09-27T19:26:00.001-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know. This is another repeat. Sorry, but it's Thursday night, and I haven't even been around to visit other folks' sites. And, no, there's no update on the critter alphabet. Mebbe I'll do six letters next week. No, better not make empty promises.

That word 'empty'... sorta like our empty nest here. We took our daughter to college last weekend, so now we have two away at school. And we realize how big and empty this place is.

Anyway, enough of me waxing melancholy. This is a pic I did for the 'chair' topic from awhile ago. That's my old deaf dog Blackie, carrying my great-grandfather's chair across the room. Hope he doesn't drop it; it's sorta fragile.

Peace you all, and forgive me if I don't get around to visit this week. It's crazy here and at work.

Illustration Friday: Wedding

2007-09-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Don't know why, but the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic was 'wedding' was 'The Owl and the Pussycat,' by Edward Lear. This little three-stanza poem has it all... romance, a long sea voyage, music, Bong-trees, a piggy-wig, and a turkey.

Oh, and the newlyweds dance by the light of the moon.

If you want to read the poem in its entirety, click this link.

Below I've included the next three letters of that alphabet of critters. Incorporating their little bodies into the letter shapes is more successful in some than in others, and I'll probably drive myself mad before I'm done.

Honestly, all these cutesy animals (including that owl and that cat) are starting to wear a little thin. Hope to be out of this rut next week... Except for that weird alphabet... now that I've started, I must finish, I fear.

Peace to all of you visitors, and take a spin in the sand in the moonlight.

Illustration Friday: Momentum

2007-09-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

"Sliding headfirst is the safest way to get to the next base, I think, and the fastest. You don't lose your momentum, and there's one more important reason I slide headfirst, it gets my picture in the paper."
-Pete Rose

Not really a Pete Rose fan, but I gotta admit he was an intense baseball player.

So, yeah, I've done another three of those alphabet animals... 'D,' 'E,' and 'F' (below this text). Don't know if I'll continue through all 26 critters. It's a real stretch to incorporate some of them into the letter shapes. I think I can get an animal for every letter, but I need some help on the letter 'X.' Only animal I've found so far is the X-ray Fish, whatever that is. Never heard of it. If anyone has ideas, let me know. I'm still a few weeks away from that letter, if I end up getting that far.

Peace to everyone, and don't be afraid to get your uniform dirty.

Illustration Friday: Alphabet & Captain

2007-09-02T10:06:00.001-07:00

Yeah, I've been playing hooky from Illustration Friday and the old blog. Haven't got any good excuses, save the tired busyness standard line. But who isn't busy? Lots of you all find the time to post and visit other folks.

I thank the people who haven't given up on me, and even visited the 'missing' illustration that I hadn't posted through the IF site... mainly because I missed the deadline. Which is the story with the 'captain' illo that you see last in this column of pictures.

I'll get around to visiting other IFers. Looking forward to seeing what I've missed the last few
weeks. And, again, thanks to you who have dropped on by in my prolonged absence. Can't say I'll be any better in keeping up, but that's just the way it is here.

So here you have a motley crew of alphabetized critters. Thought mebbe I'd try to tackle all 26 of the letters, but that'll have to wait for a later time. Had fun with these guys, so perhaps...

And last in this column is a digital piece of Lincoln, the first person to come to mind when I read the 'captain' topic. You know... Walt Whitman's 'Captain, O Captain' poem. I'm sure I
wasn't the only one to pick him for the topic, so well-known is the poem. This was inspired by a photo by Alexander Gardner.

I'll try to catch up on the other two I missed... 'emergency' and 'visitors', I believe... in the next few weeks.

Peace to all you folks. Stay cool.

Illustration Friday: Missing

2007-08-16T09:09:00.002-07:00

Illustration Friday: Moon

2007-07-29T15:22:00.001-07:00

Taking the easy way out this week. I'm re-posting a drawing from a previous Illustration Friday... way back in November of '05. The topic was 'night,' and I did this coyote howling at the night light in the sky, stating that from time to time I felt like doing the same thing... the throwing back my head in a mournful noise bit, that is.

The first time I've resorted to this tactic of re-posting, but there are no hard and fast rules here, I believe.

Oh, and I posted the 'poem' thing late, after the deadline. Click here if you care to see it. Just flaking out left and right it seems.

Peace to everyone, and here's to the occasional melancholy howl and the inner well-being it can bring.

Illustration Friday: Poem

2007-07-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

So when I told my wife I was doing a tree for the 'poem' post, she said, "Oh, yeah... 'I think that I shall never see...' Hmm. A little trite, wouldn't you say?" I agreed. Then I secretly looked up the actual poem. Had never really been acquainted with the whole thing.

Maybe one level up from trite.

Anyway, I offer this is tribute to the wonderful California coastal oak trees that dot our hillsides.

Peace to all of you, tree-huggers and otherwise.

Tagged Two Ways from Sunday

2007-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Well, no, it wasn't actually on a Sunday, but it's been awhile since, within two days, I was both graciously given the Thinking Blogger Award by Kathryn Howard (scribblesk) and kindly 'tagged' by AndyDoodler.

(Note: If you're looking for this week's IF post for 'Discovery,' click here.)

First the deal on the Thinking Blogger thing...

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,*
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

Yes, simple enough, but not so simple to come up with five names, as there are many, many who participate in Illustration Friday who make me think each week. I've chosen four from Illustration Friday participants and one digital artist who hasn't submitted anything to IF but whose work we've printed on our large format printers.

Again, a list of only five excludes another dozen or so who never fail to inspire, and I apologize in advance if any of these have already been singled out for the Thinking Blogger deal. Some of the folks I considered listing have gotten the award already, but it's downright impossible to follow the TBA trail all the way back to its origin in February.

*I am listing this under the assumption that all folks listed below know that they are under no obligation to continue the listing thing. This isn't some pyramid deal, and there will be no voodoo curse put upon you or your loved ones if you choose to simply read this and leave it at that. Heck, you don't even have to read this. How's that for 'no obligation?'

Dan Beck, Outhouse Studios... always has something interesting to say whenever he comes into the shop. His digital landscapes of Central California really have the feel of this place.
Tiffini Elektra X... grateful to her for her art booklet on successfully selling art on the internet, which she shares so unselfishly. She also has a good attitude about this blogging thing, blogging when she gets the urge, without obligation.
Digital Scott... is another Left Coaster, transplanted from another part of the country. I had the pleasure of meeting him for coffee when I was traveling to SoCal a few months back. Personable and friendly, he has superb technical illustration skills in Freehand but doesn't limit himself to that program.
Michael Dailey... puts as much thought as anyone posting into each Illustration Friday submission. Really gets you thinking, as well.
AndyDoodler... is the guy who 'tagged' me (different from the 'Thinking Blogger' thing... see below). First became acquainted with him through his 'paradise' equation , which is as logically sound as any math theorum I've run across.

Next, the 'tagged' thing...

The Rules for the taggee/tagger are:
1. post these rules
2. each person tagged must post 8 random(... hopefully interesting) facts about themselves
3. tags should write a blogpost of these facts
4. at the end of the post 8 more bloggers are tagged and named (* see the above bold asterisked note)
5. go to their blog and leave a comment telling them they're tagged

AndyDoodler tagged me, and I'll comply with the first three 'rules', but I'm going to let the trail die here. Since I've already listed five in the 'Thinking Blog...', I'm not going to tag anyone else. So if you feel like reading the eight random facts about Twisselman, interesting or otherwise, here they are:

I'm a fourth-generation Central Coast Californian, my two sets of great-grandparents on my father's side immigrating here from Germany in the mid-1800s.
After college I paid $40/month for a room above a family-owned bakery. Woke up to tempting deep-fried dough smells every morning. Think I gained twenty pounds living there.
I've voted in every presidential election since, and including, 1972. But I've never voted for a winning ticket. So, no, you really can't blame me. Maybe 2008 will break my losing streak.
Charlie and Louie, who regular readers of this blog will recognize, are the alter-egos of real people, two folks very close to me. Some of you have probably already figured that out. Only some of what I write using their names is true; most is fiction.
Began making a living at graphic art at the age of 42. My wife is to thank for supporting me during the mid-life career change.
I was once a professional scarecrow. Actually, I worked in pest management for a few months during grape harvest season, cruising the vineyards, shooting M80 shells over flocks of starlings that raided the juicy clusters of fruit.
I've never done pro bono work that didn't turn out to be a nightmare... and yet I still take it on, as I am a sucker for charitable causes. People getting stuff for free tend to come back for "tiny, little" changes again and again.
I've never seen a Western flick I didn't like, with the exception of Silverado. Saturday mornings you'll usually find me in front of AMC, sketching the theme for IF and watching some Western I've seen four or five times.

Okay, that's that, and am I relieved to have it off my plate. It was sort of hanging over me the last week, and I know that wasn't the intention of the folks who bestowed the blessings.

But that brings me to an observation or two about blogging in general and posting for Illustration Friday in particular. Blogging can be a full-time occupation, and of course it is for a growing number of people these days. But for someone working some long hours and trying to keep up with a family and the activities of its members, blogging is sort of hit-and-miss at best. I try to get a post up for the IF theme of the week and visit the blogs of those who have left comments for me. If time permits, I'll go to the IF entry list and do some exploring of people new to me as well as the group who stops by fairly regularly, but time usually just allows for dropping in on the folks who have dropped in on me.

Sometimes I feel guilty about that, but I need to adopt Tiffini's 'Blogging Without Obligation,' the logo for which I display over on the sidebar. There's enough to be concerned with in this life without adding guilt trips.

I applaud the IF-ers who get around to vast numbers of the week's posts, but I will never be able to devote that much time to this blogging thing.

Peace to everyone.

Illustration Friday: Discovery

2007-07-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

In honor of that Greek mathematician dude Archimedes (287-212 BC), who discovered (or mebbe just gave a name to) the Law of Hydrostatics; said discovery made as he stepped into his bath and observed the displacement of water.

You'll have to go elsewhere if you want an explanation of the Law. My mother was the mathematician in the family... not I.

Oh, he also surmised that if he had a lever long enough (and someplace to stand) he could move the Earth.

Peace, everyone, and don't wait til Saturday night to soak in the tub.

Illustration Friday: Geek(y)

2007-07-07T11:19:00.001-07:00

"Circus is coming to town," Louie said as he dipped a pink shrimp into the cocktail sauce and tossed it into his mouth. "You taking the kids?"

Charlie didn't pause in his clicking of the remote. "Too old for that." Adding with a sidelong glance toward his pal, "The kids, I mean." He slowed his trigger finger down long enough to identify a Western on AMC... The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence... Lee Marvin was tripping Jimmy Stewart... and then back to clicking. "I don't much care for circuses."

Louie mopped up some of the sauce he'd dribbled across the coffee table and grinned his cockeyed grin. "Because of Milo the Greek Geek?"

No response from Charlie, who had settled on a repeat of Law and Order, one he'd seen two or three times.

"Remember Milo the Geek?" Louie was trying to get a rise.

Charlie grunted and took a pull from his beer.

"Man, I never saw you so upset," as Louie tossed his napkin toward the trash basket, missing badly.

Charlie turned and faced his friend fully. "He bit the head off a chicken and spit it back out at the audience."

"It was fake. It was a fake chicken," Louie grinned. "I mean you could only tell."

"You don't do that kind of stuff in front of kids," and Charlie turned back to the DA's closing argument. "Freakin' pencil neck geek."

Louie laughed out loud now and grabbed the last shrimp.

Peace to all, and steer clear of those sideshow acts.

Illustration Friday: Twist

2007-07-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

It was 1968, and I remember sitting in a theater in Santa Barbara with my grandmother when this movie's plot twist was revealed in the final frames. I know my jaw must have visibly dropped, so taken in was I. To me, one of the best plot twists in movie history. Far be it from me to be a plot spoiler and name the flick, but I think most folks will recognise it without having it named.

The flick that failed to surprise me, but which a lot of people name as having cinema's best plot twist, was The Sixth Sense. I was prepared for the ending, as my wife had speculated the plot had been lifted from a Goosebumps book she had read to our kids years before. Sat through that movie with her prediction running through my head, and sure enough... Talk about a spoiler.

Peace to all you folks, and be safe and sane for Independence Day.

Illustration Friday: Camouflage

2007-06-25T21:02:00.001-07:00

Brought home a project over the weekend involving turning a photo of John Steinbeck's truck Rocinante into line art... so I decided to get some mileage out of the project for IF and grabbed that old GMC camper package and hid it amongst some of his words from Travels with Charley (not the same Charlie you've found on my blog previously).

Wasn't really worried about how the thing applied to the 'camouflage' topic, but I started thinking about what Steinbeck did those 45+ years ago when he decided to travel among the people of the U.S., virtually unrecognized, blending in and listening to their lives, their beliefs, their prejudices. I decided mebbe it fit the topic okay.

Peace to all, and may we pay attention to what the other person has to say.

Illustration Friday: Rejection

2007-06-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday: Suit

2007-06-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

"I came out here with one suit and everybody said I looked like a bum. Twenty years later Marlon Brando came out with only a sweatshirt and the town drooled over him. That shows how much Hollywood has progressed." -Humphrey Bogart

Peace to everyone, and remember, it's not what you wear but how you wear it.

Illustration Friday: Paradise

2007-06-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

There's a small river that springs from the Ventana wilderness of central California. It's called the Arroyo Seco... or dry... well, dry arroyo, which I guess translates to wash or riverbed. But this little river generally has water year-round.

The Gorge, Horse Bridge, Fred's Camp, Miller's Lodge... all these spots are on this river. Charlie and Louie frequented them all in past days. Neither have been there in years.

Should have finished this awhile ago, and I think it shows... seems a little over-worked; like I didn't know when to stop. And, no, I didn't know when, and I don't think it's done, but it's time to move on away from it. Sort of the way Charlie and Louie had to move on with life and leave the places and times of their youth behind.

Peace to all, and may we all treasure the memories of paradise lost.

Added note below: looking at this and reading some of the comments, I think it may be a little under-worked, but I'm still gonna leave it as is. Below is an illustration of the Salinas River, with Valley and Santa Lucia Mountains in the background (the Arroyo Seco comes out of those hills). Really can't beat the weather here, though the wind can come barreling down the valley from Monterey Bay and the Pacific beyond.
The vantage point for this drawing is very close to Steinbeck's setting for Of Mice and Men... ' A few miles south of Soledad...'

Illustration Friday: Cars

2007-05-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

As a topic, 'cars' is as vast as the concrete wastelands we've paved in order to accomodate their travel, parking, and merchandising. I like cars (favorite I've owned: a 1985 Honda CRX) and the freedom of movement they represent, but I'm ashamed of the consumption of resources they -- and we car owners-- are responsible for.

Some of my best memories are of road trips with the family... Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Canada. Charlie and Louie took many road trips together and bonded their friendship over many miles.

Yesterday I was at the mechanic's waiting for a service on one of our cars, and I saw a brochure on the Indianapolis 500. Knowing it was running today, I knew I had my subject for the challenge. I'm not a race fan, mind you. I know that I risk offending members of the legion of Nascar, demolition derby, and Monster Truck fans, but I don't get the going around in circles repeatedly. Yes, I realize there is athleticism and skill involved, but I don't get the attraction.

Anyway, even though I'm not a fan, I've drawn this with Micron pens and shaded it in Photoshop. Here's to that Memorial Day weekend tradition... the Indy 500.

Peace to all, and don't forget to wear your earplugs at the raceway.

Illustration Friday: Signs

2007-05-22T21:04:00.001-07:00

Howard missed the sign and soon found he was going nowhere fast.

This is in memory of the late great comedian Mitch Hedberg who once said, "I like an escalator because an escalator can never break, it can only become stairs. There would never be an 'escalator temporarily out of order' sign, only an 'escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience.'"

I was going to go all soap-box and put a gun with the international 'no' sign over the top of it, but I thought that would be hypocritical, as I own a gun (unloaded and with a trigger lock, thank you), and I come from a family of hunters. I have thoughts about automatic weapons and how I don't get NRA fanatics, but just thinking about putting it all down in words made me tired, so you get a Hedberg tribute instead.

I originally did the illustration to the right, but my wife thought it really didn't convey the non-moving aspect of poor Howard, so my post was delayed a day whilst I put the view from behind the poor beggar.

I've seen some great illustrations this week on the topic, and I salute those who've put some great thought and talent into the challenge.

Anyway, peace to all of you and just know that some signs are of more consequence than others.

Illustration Friday: Citrus

2007-05-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Louie lifted his glass of bio-engineered citrus smoothie in a toast to his friend Charlie, who was at that moment several states away and trying to scare pigeons off his roof with dog biscuits, the closest projectiles at hand.

Peace to all, and here's a toast to all friends near and far.

Illustration Friday: Neighbor

2007-05-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

When the Joneses moved out, Charlie led the neighborhood in the good- riddance-to-bad-neighbors dance. Little did he know that many in the neighborhood were biding time until they could do the dance in his honor.

Illustration Friday: Gravity

2007-02-18T12:49:00.000-08:00

The others were concerned that Melville did not fully grasp the gravity of the situation.

Peace, and let's not be too hard on those who try to lighten up a bit.

Illustration Friday: Crash

2007-02-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

Charlie can talk to his sons
Charlie can talk to his daughters
Charlie can talk to his wife
But he can't bare his soul completely
He can't talk to them
The way he could talk to you, Louie
To you before you died

He circles and he circles
But he crashes before he lands
He crashes before he makes contact
He crashes and he crashes and
He burns

Peace to you and watch those hard landings

Illustration Friday: Sprout

2007-02-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend putting paperwork together so I can intelligently talk to Mr. Turbo, the taxman in a box. Out of that exercise sprouted this little drawing...
Time to get those magic beans working on a little money shrub.

Peace to you all, and may good things sprout for you.

Illustration Friday: Red

2007-01-26T22:11:00.000-08:00

The night before their first meeting Horace emailed Mona: "You'll know me by the red carnation in my lapel."

Peace to you all, and may all your encounters be memorable.

Illustration Friday: Superhero

2007-01-24T21:19:00.000-08:00

Look at his legs twitch. He may be asleep on the rug in front of the fireplace, but in his dreams he's chasing those jackrabbits he never caught in his youth. Before the leash laws caught up to us out here, before the condos and ticky-tacky houses took over the two meadows just north of us, on our morning and afternoon walks he ran free. He ran with the jackrabbits that were always just out of his reach. We used to see foxes right where the apartments are now. And burrowing owls... I remember a family or two of those funny little birds with their bobbing heads... their holes were paved over with a cul-de-sac. All that has changed in just ten years. Oh, look now... he's barking in little blips. He's having a good one... Super Blackie must be terrorizing the rabbits tonight. Poor old deaf pooch.

Peace to everyone, and stay close to your superheros.

Illustration Friday: 80s

2007-01-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

"Yeah, my nephew got that new Nintendo game deal for Christmas. Christmas afternoon everyone took a turn on it. I embarrassed myself. Couldn't get the hang of it," Charlie said. "No aptitude for it, I guess."

Louie shook his head and drained the last of his beer. "Tell me about it. Last video game I could ever play was PacMan. 'Member that one?"

A sheepish smile came over Charlie's face. "Don't remind me of the 80s. I spent half of that decade trying to drink myself to death and the other half repenting. Less said of that time the better."

Charlie threw a tennis ball across the lawn for his dog to retrieve. The dog gave the ball a tired glance and waddled over to his water dish. "Couldn't play that PacMan game either. Hated that crazy music and those weird sound effects." He sighed, then turned to Louie quickly. "Hey, how about a game of pool? Now there's a game."

Louie nodded, "Yeah... timeless."

Peace to you all, and watch out for Blinky, Inky, Clyde, and that other ghost, whatever his name was.

Illustration Friday: Buzz

2007-01-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

The alarm sounded at 5:30; not that Harry needed it. His brain had crackled and popped all night under the weight of those last words before she left: "The last ten of these thirty years have been hell."

She took only her toothbrush. She left the rest of those years behind. Left it all with Harry... the twenty-odd pairs of shoes (some odd); the good china and the everyday dinnerware; the toothless cat and the hairless dog. Harry got it all.

She swept it all away with her little brush and took the clothes on her back down the walkway and around the corner, and that was that.

Harry's brain had buzzed all night, and he knew the neighbors would be buzzing before the end of the day, and he hoped Mr. Coffee (she'd left that, too; she'd left all of it) would provide enough buzz to get him through the day.

Peace to all, and keep the buzz respectable.

Illustration Friday: Phoenix

2006-12-30T17:12:00.000-08:00

“The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise.”

-Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Yeah, well, I got this Wacom tablet for Christmas, and now I've gotta figure it out. So, while I'm figuring and testing it, I'll try different things out on the IF posts. As with a lot of what I do, I find the most difficult thing is figuring out when to quit... so here's sort of an overdone illustration.

And then, below is the post I didn't get done in time for 'peace' last week. Not at all what I had in mind, but I just couldn't get my original idea to quite come together.

So, peace to everyone this last weekend of '06, and here's to the wish that hope for good things will rise up out of the ashes of this battered year.

Illustration Friday: Help

2006-12-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'"
- Ronald Reagan

Actually, after I'd already started on the drawing, I heard someone from Mississippi speak and say that the government now was doing a pretty good job down there helping Katrina victims.

Don't know who this guy's s'posed to be... just some bureaucrat.

And now, a BONUS feature!!!

Because I've missed so many weeks... (no excuses, chalk it up to laziness and life in general)... I'm gonna get all caught up in one swell foop. Below please see my post for

CLEARTHANKSGIVINGINVENTIONMIGHTMASK...

Bartholomew could not mask his concern that clear Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving, when, on a stroll with Myra, his intended, they met Reginald. Was it an invention of his mind or might there have been a twinkle in Myra's eye as Reginald tipped his hat?

Peace to all, and find someone who could use a helping hand... or just a tip of the hat.

Illustration Friday: Smoke

2006-11-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

Five firefighters lost their lives battling the Esperanza Fire in Southern California last month:

Pablo Cerda, 23
Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20
Mark Loutzenhiser, 43
Jason McKay, 27
Jess McLean, 27

The blaze was a result of arson, which should be considered an act of terrorism.

Smokey the Bear needs to shed his nice-guy image and start baring his teeth.

Peace to you and deepest respects to the families of the fallen five.

Illlustration Friday: Wind

2006-11-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday night... almost didn't make this week's post. Started doodling and ended up with a wild-haired dude in a trench coat. Put him up on a cliff in the wind. Don't think he's gonna jump, but I really don't know what he's up to. Communicating with, or shouting at, God?

Peace, and may the wind always be at your back.

Illustration Friday: Ghost

2006-10-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

I figured the 'ghost' topic was chosen in honor of Halloween, and since I'm not a big fan of Halloween, I thought I'd do something connected to Dia de los Muertos. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, I grabbed this from www.diadelosmuertos.us (it explains much better than I can):

Dia de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Mexico and the Southwest states, and coincides with the Christian All Souls and All Saints Days. On November 1st and 2nd people remember those who are deceased. November 1st is considered the Dia de los Angelitos—the day to remember children that have died, November 2nd is the traditional Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead). Pictures of the deceased are placed on Dia de los Muertos altars with their favorite food and drink. Candles to light their way home, and soap and water to freshen-up after their long trip back are also often placed on altars. Trinkets they were fond of, symbols they would understand, and gifts are left to communicate to them that they are always in the hearts of those they left behind, and that they are still part of the family even though they aren’t physically with us any longer.

José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913), a political cartoonist, created many art pieces of calaveras (skeletons, though the literal translation is 'skulls', I believe). This illustration is an homage to one of Posada's pieces, done in modern dress.

This is the 52nd week in a row I've put something up on Illustration Friday. It's been a wonderful experience. From the start people checked in and commented with encouragement and insightful observations. Every week the IF site hosts scores (yea, hundreds) of unique takes on a given topic. I've been inspired by the fresh creativity on a weekly basis, regretting only that time has not allowed me to check every post every week. Sort of a challenge to try to get around to some of the regular commentors before they post a comment to me... something I rarely accomplish. Seems I'm always playing 'catch up.'

Well, gotta go. Blackie needs to go out for his evening constitutional before bedtime. Peace to all, and stay safe.

Illustration Friday: Smitten

2006-10-15T23:23:00.000-07:00

As closing time drew near, Reginald realized that Myra was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Peace to one and all, and drink responsibly.

Illustration Friday: Trouble

2006-10-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

On one particularly boring day some 5,000 years ago -- it may have been closer to 5,000,000 years ago, but who's counting? -- First Woman Eve was lolling about under a shady palm. She was bored. Nothing was wrong particularly. Maybe that was the problem... everything was always... well... right. She sighed a sigh, stretched her arms lazily, and surveyed the compound.

Nice enough place, everything she needed was within easy reach... water, fruit and veggies. Being vegan, she and Adam didn't even consider sampling one of the myriad creatures that ambled aimlessly about the place. And there were a bunch of them... sleeping under every rock, hanging or perched in every tree, and sunning in every open spot it seemed. In fact that lughead Adam was out finishing up his one chore... naming the last two or three dozen animals.

When Eve thought of Adam, she sighed again and knit her unblemished brow slightly. The guy was fairly good-looking and was nice enough and all, but, sheesh, he really was dumb as that creature he had named Ox. And boring... he was just plain boring. She stepped over Lion, who was dozing next to Lamb and yawned. The whole place was boring. Nothing ever happened.

That was when something coming down the lane caught her eye. It was Serpent, rolling something along in front of him. She chuckled. He wasn't soft and cuddly like Koala, or strong and fast like Horse, but he was, well... interesting. He always seemed to be up to something. He had discovered that his little hands were prehensile, like Monkey's, the better to investigate things. And just last week, he had taken to walking upright on his hind legs, imitating Adam by stumbling about and tripping over roots. Serpent made Eve laugh.

And here he was again today, but what was it that he had with him? The little guy was toiling so hard... Maybe Eve would give him a hand. As she got closer, she realized what Serpent was pushing. Oh, what had he gotten into this time? He knew better. He must have been exploring the one tree they weren't supposed to go near and had knocked off one of its fruits. The little imp.

Maybe today wasn't going to be as boring as yesterday... and the day before...

Well, dear reader, you can probablly guess what sort of trouble Serpent got Eve into that day... and how Adam stepped right into it himself. And you know the results... pain of childbirth, toiling from dawn to dark, you know, complications of life.

Oh, and Serpent lost his hands and legs.

Peace, everyone, and keep your nose out of trouble today.

Illustration Friday: Quiet

2006-10-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

“In cities no one is quiet but many are lonely; in the country, people are quiet but few are lonely”
-Geoffrey Fisher

Peace and quiet to all.

Illustration Friday: Phobia

2006-09-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

There are so many phobias from which to choose for this week's topic... where to begin? I went to one of the many lists online... hundreds of things to be afraid of.

One stood out, though: politicophobia, or fear of politics/politicians. That got me thinking a step further... how about the politics of fear? There's been enough said about that in the last few weeks and months as we head into the election season. Does the administration and Fox News scare me? You betcha. It's working, Dubya.

Not letting the Democrats off easy, either, though. They've allowed the Republicans to give them a phobia of the L-word (and, no, I'm not talking about the TV show of the same name). No, God forbid that anyone allow themselves to be labeled 'liberal.' When did it become bad to be a liberal?

And then there is the American voting public at large. Do we have a collective fear of the voting booth? With only 55% of the eligible voting population showing up in the last presidential election, we deserve what we get. Those who can get their 'base' out win.

Even if it's a phobia that gets them out of the house.

Peace to you all, and let's not allow our phobias to get the better of us.

Illustration Friday: Change

2006-09-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here's to that quick-change artist, Clark Kent (aka: Kal-El, 'Star-Child'). As I was drawing this, I was wondering, how the heck does he tuck that big ol' cape into his pants?

Peace to everyone, and don't change just for the sake of change.

Illustration Friday: Farm

2006-09-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

In 1974 Papa and his sisters

Sold the farm, and we went
To live in town.

Great grandpa Claus and Grandpa Chris
Had driven cattle and coddled sheep,
Had threshed grain and sprouted beans

From the 1880s to the 1970s...
Our family was there
On the valley floor...

Through flood and drought, we were there.

My boyhood was there;
My adulthood was elsewhere.
Then I ran with my dogs;
Now I walk with my ghosts.

This afternoon I walked
My dog on a leash in this city.
And I, I feel the tether 'round my own neck.

-Twisselman, 2006

Peace to all, and keep the good memories alive.
Illustration is based on a photo from the Solomon D. Butcher Collection, Neb. State Hist. Soc.

Illustration Friday: Safe

2006-09-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.
-CS Lewis

Peace to all, and give someone special the combination.

Illustration Friday: Run

2006-08-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

We've been through some things together
With trunks of memories still to come
We found things to do in stormy weather
Long may you run.

Long may you run.
Long may you run.
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run.

Well, it was back in Blind River in 1962
When I last saw you alive
But we missed that shift on the long decline
Long may you run.

Long may you run.
Long may you run.
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run.

Maybe The Beach Boys have got you now
With those waves singing "Caroline No"
Rollin' down that empty ocean road
Gettin' to the surf on time.

Long may you run.
Long may you run.
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run.

-Neil Young, "Long May You Run," 1976

Yup, Mr. Young wrote that song about his '48 Buick Roadmaster hearse, Mort, which he used as his bandmobile in the early days in Canada. Transmission went out, I think. He subsequently got another hearse, dubbed it Mort 2, drove it to L.A., and the rest is music history.

Peace, all of you, and may your run be long.

Illustration Friday: Match

2006-08-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.
-Joseph Campbell

Peace to you and your nature.

Illustration Friday: Play (color version)

2006-08-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah, here's last week's colorized.

Peace, all.

Illustration Friday: Play

2006-08-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't gotten any farther than this, sketched out last Saturday. And the week is quickly slipping by. So... in the quest to put something up and not skip a topic, I offer this takeoff on the dogs-playing-poker theme. If I get time, I'll finish it up along with the offering for the next topic.

Last Friday night my wife and I came home from the movies to find our cats, Skweex and Tiger, sitting on the living room floor playing some five-card draw. Imagine our surprise. I mean, Skweex knows Tiger isn't allowed in the house.

Peace, everyone, and never draw to an inside straight.

Illustration Friday: Capture

2006-08-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Someone's got hold of that peace dove again, and they're not gonna let her go. As usual, the 'collateral' damage in war includes children and senior citizens... on all sides (and there seem to be more than just two sides).

Heard a news report yesterday that said, "Americans will feel the pain of this conflict at the gas pump." Yes, actual words. Bodies are being blown apart or stuffed into bags, and we're suffering (?) at the gas nozzle.

I do not forget the families of those in our military. I pray daily that the soldiers will be coming home soon.

Maybe we can find out who's captured that tired and beaten old dove, and get them to unshackle her. Peace to all of you who read this and to all whose lives are being shattered.

Illustration Friday: Clean

2006-07-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

An important duty of the bartender is to run a clean bar. I bartended for a coupla years after college, kicking around with no plan and no direction... Nothing high-class; a beer-and-wine joint, a bowling alley. No fancy drinks; Swiss highballs (otherwise known as wine coolers), whiskey straight up, or whiskey and water.

I spent a lot of time washing glasses and mugs.

So here's a set of glasses, very clean, done in a 3-D program (StrataPro). Yeah, I let the software do most of the work, but, hey, I had to draw the profile of the glass; something for the program to lathe. And I had to compose it, make the shaders, set the lights, and such.

Anyway, if I think of something to actually draw, I'll add it to the blog... I won't put a new entry on IF... I'll just add to this post.

Peace, everyone, and keep it (whatever 'it' you choose) clean.

Illustration Friday: Opposites

2006-07-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Peace, everyone. Stay cool.

Illustration Friday: Sacrifice

2006-07-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

When I read the topic, the first thought to come to mind was Papa, who gave up much to make sure his three kids had opportunities he never had. I think he felt trapped in his occupation, and I believe there was unrealized potential in this man.

He died 28 years ago, and a day has not gone by in those years that I haven't thought of him. I have had a blessed life, due in no small part to my Papa.

Peace, everyone. Hug your loved ones.

Illustration Friday: Skyline

2006-07-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Half-completed deal. Was gonna put a panoramic skyline of the neighborhood... six or seven houses, trees, etc. Yeah, 'coulda, woulda, shoulda...' Anyway, another hectic week.

So I must thank all those who've visited this blog... and respectfully ask pardon for not having the time to get my fix of all the reg'lars I visit. Hopefully this coming week will allow some breathing room. I'll get back into the swing of things some day.

Peace to you, and may your skyline be free of exploding missiles. (This has been an upsetting day in parts of the world)

Illustration Friday: Sticky

2006-07-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah, those crazy caramel apples at the Boardwalk can be pretty sticky, you bet.

Hey, it's been crazy at work and around the house... so I didn't get around to visit hardly any IF posts this past week... and here it is Thursday, and I'm barely getting some quick thing on board. Not apologizing and not complaining... It is what it is.

Anyway, peace to all, and hang in there, sticky or slick.

Illustration Friday: Rain

2006-06-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Was listening to this song the other day, written by Gordon Lightfoot, covered by Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and Peter, Paul, & Mary. For melancholy rainy days. Peace, everyone.

In the early mornin' rain with a dollar in my hand,
With an achin' in my heart, and my pockets full of sand.
I'm a long way from home, and I miss my loved one so;
In the early mornin' rain and no place to go.

Out on runway number nine big seven-o-seven set to go.
Well, I'm stuck here on the ground where the cold winds blow.
The liquor tasted good, and the women all were fast.
There she goes, my friend, she's a rollin' down at last.

Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver bird on high.
She's away and westward bound; far above the clouds she'll fly,
Where the mornin' rain don't fall, and the sun always shines.
She'll be flyin' over my home in about three hours time.

This old airport's got me down; it's no earthly good to me.
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground, cold and drunk as I might be.
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train,
So I best be on my way in the early mornin' rain.

Gordon Lightfoot, 1962

Illustration Friday: Dance

2006-06-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Shake a leg. Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Jungle

2006-06-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

It's a
jungle
in there.

Peace to
everyone
and may
there be
peace
in your
jungle.

Illustration Friday: Portrait...

2006-06-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

...of Blackie as a young dog...

Back when Blackie was a young dog dandy,
Dressed to the nines, on the town he'd bandy.
High-struttin' and high-falootin' was he
In those doggie days; footloose and carefree.
Taking a break, for this portrait he sat;
Bow-tie and tail(s), sharper than the aver'ge cat.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Cake

2006-05-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Peace.

Illustration Friday: Sorry

2006-05-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

This doesn't quite say 'sorry' to me.

Turmoil? Remorse? Anxiety?

Maybe despair.

Took it from a sketch I did a couple of years back...something I did quickly in a dark time...a personal thing. Funny how bringing it back out can remind me of a hurt. But just as quickly I realize that all things, including despair, pass.

Peace and goodness to all.

Illustration Friday: Angels/Devils

2006-05-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

I dunno. Had to put sumpthin' up there in my mission not to miss a week of IF. They both look devilish and evil to me.

Didn't start with a sketch (or a plan... does it show?). Just started messing around in Photoshop.

Illustration Friday: Fat

2006-05-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

I guess I don't so much mind being old, as I mind being fat and old.
-Benjamin Franklin

Not picking on Ben. As founding fathers go, he's probably one of my favorites. Don't think he owned any slaves. He was an inventor, a printer, a wise-saying sayer.

Didn't know how to illustrate the topic, so I started searching for quotes, and the one above from Ben just struck my fancy.

Many thanks to all who left comments last week. I try to visit as many posts as I can, but time got away from me. I'm sure Poor Richard had a profound saying about time, but I don't want to search through his almanacs.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Under the Sea

2006-04-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Pacific gray whales pass through Monterey Bay twice a year; once on their way to Baja for the winter, and again as they head back to the Alaskan waters for the summer. Whale watching trips are a great way to see these cetaceans up close. I'll limit my watching experience to the deck of the boat... not from under the sea, thank you very much.

Peace, all.

Illustration Friday: Robot

2006-04-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Don't know where the heck this idea came from (somewhere out in left field?), but it sprang to mind almost immediately upon reading the topic, and it wouldn't shake loose til I put it down on paper... and then into Photoshop to finish. Peace to all, humanoid and android alike.

Illustration Friday: Spotted

2006-04-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, I want everyone to know I really, really, really intended on not getting all heavy and PC with this week's topic. Just like last week when I really hadn't meant to get up on any soapbox. Believe me, it's really atypical of me to get all outspoken and preachy. I'm a pretty laid-back person. Really I am. (So how many 'really's' in this paragraph, and what does that say about one's writing ability?)

So, I see the topic for this week is 'spotted.' "Oh, great," say I, "I used up the perfect spotted topic with that dead cheetah last week." So, I'm thinking abstract ... maybe a super close-up of a leopard's spots. But I think on it throughout the day at work, and I think 'spotted owl.'

"Whoa," you say, "let's not get all Sierra Club again." Believe me, not my intention. I did an image search on Google and found this cool shot of a spotted owl by Jared Hobbs (on which this illustration is loosely based), and that was going to be that.

But then (and here's where I get into trouble), I look for a quote to go with the pic, and I find this:

"Read this Article if You Want to Hunt the Spotted Owl By Lance Winslow

"Recently I was in a coffee shop and I was discussing with a friend the abusive lawsuits and junk court filings of the spotted owl. He asked me if I knew what those spots were for?

"I told him know (sic), that I assumed it was like a Zebra or any other species which had such markings, it may have had some evolutionary reason for attracting a mate or possibly to blend into the scenery like camouflage to aid in hunting or to keep from being hunted. He said no silly. The real reason that those owls have spots is so you line up your rifle sights on them. They are like targets he explained.

"Well we both had a laugh, but then he said well we are going to have to kill them anyway. I asked why? He said they are very prone to be carriers of Bird Flu. Not sure if that is true but it kind of makes sense. Think on it."

I won't comment on this, except to say if someone wants to hunt a spotted owl, please print out this illustration and shoot it full of holes. Print as many as you like... or just shoot your computer monitor.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Speed

2006-04-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

"Yeah, the cheetah's pretty fast, but not faster than a bullet."

How fast can man prove his dominance over Mother Nature by utterly destroying her?

PLEASE NOTE: Lengthy comment on the next post below, if you're so inclined to read it.

Otherwise, peace to our planet and everything on it.

Comment on 'Speed' illustration

2006-04-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

When I started searching for 'speed' resource photos through Google Images, I hadn't intended the above Illustration Friday post to be any more than a nice action shot of a cheetah running. I found some beautiful pictures, any one of which I could sketch and be done with the topic for the week. But one photograph on the fourth page of the search grabbed me and wouldn't let go of me. It showed two dudes kneeling behind their trophy of the day. The image linked back to an African safari company; one that promises to give you a "complete African experience." The company shall remain nameless here; I'm not out to persecute anyone for how they make their living. I just want us to take some time to think this hunting thing through.

Now I realize that if you've come to this blog, you probably got here through Illustration Friday. This being the case, I'm probably preaching to the choir. We artsy-fartsy folks tend to be on the socially conscious side of things. But lest you think that I'm striving toward the politically correct angle, please know that I'm not totally against hunting. I was raised on a ranch, the fourth generation of a family that hunted the hills and fields of central California (though I shelved my shotgun some 30 years ago).

That said, however, we never hunted anything that didn't end up on the dinner table. We plucked, cleaned, and ate every duck, pheasant, or quail we hunted. Hunting purely for the sport of letting blood, though, is something with which I'm hard-pressed to identify. What is it about our species that makes us the only animal to kill purely for the sake of killing?

When the news hit recently about our Vice President's unfortunate hunting accident what shocked me wasn't the reckless hunting practice that put stray pellets in his friend's face and torso. No, it was a related story that disclosed on another day he had single-handedly killed 70 pheasants! How does one man pluck and clean and eat that many birds? How much lust for killing is healthy in one red-blooded American male?

Let's assume he has people who do the plucking and cleaning. Because, yeah, he's a busy guy. He's got a country to run... uh, I mean, help run. But how much room can he have in his freezer? Let's say he takes ten... no, let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say he takes 20 birds back to Lynn to cook (or to have the help cook). That still leaves 50 dead birds back at the "we-raise-'em, you-shoot-'em" compound. We can only hope that they went to a food bank or a soup kitchen and weren't tossed in a landfill.

Let's leave the VP alone and get back to the big-game hunter. Who eats cheetah? Or zebra? Or giraffe? These are all animals on the price list for that particular safari site. I suggest that if someone wants "the complete African experience," they work on getting potable water to the millions on that continent who don't have it.

The aforementioned hunting company has a code of ethics, mind you:

The company holds to the belief that the primary Ethic of the Professional Hunter is to ensure that each hunt is concluded with minimal suffering and distress to the hunted animal.

Hmm... since when is death considered "minimal distress?"

Illustration Friday: Spring

2006-04-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

California may have its faults (no pun intended... or maybe it was), but one of the beautiful things about Spring in Central California is the appearance of the wildflowers on the green hillsides.

This Spring the poppies have started to show, now only in small groupings. If the weather conditions are right, some magic combination of wet and sunny days, the hills and pastures veritably explode in carpets of golden poppies and velvety blue sky lupine.

It was a very wet March, colder than usual, and we will probably have to settle for spots of color here and there. We'll take what we can get.

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Monster

2006-03-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

People call Lawrence a wicked monster...
He hasn't hands, rather claws like a lobster.
People are hurtful: they choose not to see
That he has feelings deep like you and me.

He'll crouch in the dark, all hollow inside,
Trying to hide from the taunts and the chides.
Bit of a beast in each of us, it's true,
So when Lawrence weeps, it's for me and you.

Our world cries for compassion. Peace to us all.

Illustration Friday: Feet

2006-03-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's not really a pic of feet... but it's an illustration of something important to my feet... my shoes. Oh, and my smelly socks. I try to run four to five times a week. I'll go stretches of months at a time when I'm very good about it. Then there are weeks at a time when the shoes don't see the light of day. Ran the Big Sur Marathon when I turned 40, but since then I've only had the gumption to train for half-marathons; the Humboldt through the Avenue of the Giants being that run of choice.

I've included the progression of the drawing... first one being the inked sketch, next one with flat areas of color added in Photoshop, third working on shading, and last one with the inked layer made visible again. Looking at it, I'm sorta partial to the illustration without the inked lines, the third one. Any feelings one way or 'tother?

Peace to all.

Illustration Friday: Tattoo

2006-03-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, tattoos may be alright for some folks,
But don't stick my flesh with those inky pokes.
Won't sport skin art of 'Mom' or 'Dubya Bush'
On my upper arm, left ankle, or tush;
No tasteful rose, no swaying hula girl...
Don't ever intend to give it a whirl.
'Tis true in whatever form, art is art,
But I've no canvas on my fleshy part.
Not worried 'bout contracting a disease;
Just don't stick me with any needles, please.
--------
Been busy... not complaining... a good sort of busy... fun, but time-consuming, projects at work... family things and such. Tried several times to come up with something for the topic... false starts, all. But I'm determined to put a post up on every topic.

It really is true... tattoos do nothing for me. I don't know. They just don't excite me. Not that I object to others doing what they want to their bodies. Enough of this. Peace, everyone.

Illustration Friday: Insect

2006-03-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Statistics from the World Health Organization:

Malaria is responsible for as many as half the deaths of African children under the age of five. The disease kills more than one million children - 2,800 per day - each year in Africa alone. In regions of intense transmission, 40% of toddlers
may die of acute malaria.

About 40% of the world's population - about two billion people - are at risk in about 90 countries and territories. 80 to 90% of malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa where 90% of the infected people live.

Illustration Friday: Tea

2006-02-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

Another week; another flimsy excuse. Busy on deadline stuff for brochures and print jobs and such. So... not a lot of time for new creations. This dude to the left was drawn a few years ago, based on someone I saw at a coffee bar earlier in the day.

I was looking for some inspiration for the 'tea' topic and ran across a quote from C.S.Lewis about there being no such thing as a cup of tea too big or a book too long. That reminded me of this guy. I found him, added a little tea string/tab thingie, and there you have it.

I apologize that I haven't gotten around to visiting the blogs of folks I try to check in on weekly. I'm getting to it, albeit slowly.

Peace to everyone. Take it easy on the caffiene intake.

Illustration Friday: Song

2006-02-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

Maybe I wanted to finally be one of the first 100 folks to post for a topic. Maybe it's because I've got to devote this entire weekend to figuring out my taxes. Whatever the reason, I've taken an old photo-illustration I did of my son playing his guitar; when I was checking out various filter/layering/hue-saturation combos.

Anyway, song is very important in this household. Thanks to my wife's musical genes, our son and daughter are extremely talented musically. It's a blessing to be in the room when they're together playing a song. I gotta stop now, before I get all misty-eyed.

Peace to everyone. Put a song in your heart.

Illustration Friday: Simple

2006-02-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness—
O, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

Some for the Glories of This World; and some
Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come;
Ah, take the Cash, and let the Credit go,
Nor heed the rumble of a distant Drum!

Look to the blowing Rose about us—'Lo,
Laughing,' she says, 'into the world I blow,
At once the silken tassel of my Purse
Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw.'

And those who husbanded the Golden grain
And those who flung it to the winds like Rain
Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd
As, buried once, Men want dug up again.

-Omar Khayyam (translated by E. Fitzgerald)

Okay, there's my simple Valentine's Day sentiment. Before I went Googling for the exact poem, all I knew was the 'jug of wine, loaf of bread, and thou' business; which I thought was a pretty simple set of needs. I had done most of the work on the illustration already when I looked up the actual words, so I didn't bother to go back and set it 'underneath the Bough,' or amidst 'the blowing Rose.'

You folks more knowledgable than I may have known the whole poem (which goes on quite a ways from where I left off) and the fact that Omar was a Persian poet who lived during the 11th century. Mr. Fitzgerald translated some of his works in the 1800s, and he enjoyed a fair share of posthumous fame. ...Well, maybe you can't actually posthumously enjoy something... but, anyway his poetry was being recited again.

Be nice to your Valentine on Tuesday. If you don't have one, please spread some good will to someone else. Peace to all of you

postscript: Whoa. Just posted to IF, and I see that there are already over 300 entries on the topic... and it's only Sunday morning (in this part of the world). So much art, and so little time to view it all.

Illustration Friday: Chair

2006-02-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

Yeah, Blackie the Mutt was more than a little peeved at me for all the coverage the cats got a couple of weeks ago; and nothing more than a mere mention of his doggie door. So a couple of days ago I told him that he would be worked into the next Illustration Friday thing, no matter what the topic was. Silly of me to be promising things to a dog, you think? Especially silly when you realize that he couldn't hear a word I said. He's 12 years old and stone-deaf.

He's been a good pooch all these years. We got him at the SPCA when he was just a few months old. He was a street pup, wandering when they netted him, I guess.

When I read the topic yesterday, I tried to break the news to him... "You're out of luck, unless you can think of an interesting way to include your hairy self in a picture with a chair." He snorted and slumped off to the other room, only to reappear minutes later, bringing my great-grandfather's chair in much the same manner you see here. Well, maybe not exactly... he can't really stand on only one leg... At least not long enough for me to sketch him.

Oh, and the chair... It belonged to my great-grandfather, Claus, who immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in the 1870s, sailing aroung the horn of South America with four brothers. They landed in San Francisco and settled first in Half Moon Bay, where there was a small enclave of German immigrants. They eventually made their way south, to the Salinas Valley and beyond.

I don't think the chair came with Claus from Germany, but it is a cherished possession, nonetheless.

Anyway, I've included photos of the chair, and, of course, of the black and tan dog. Peace to everyone.

Illustration Friday: Glamour

2006-01-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

Glamour is boring

A couple of news stories griped and gripped me today. One points out that the gap between rich and poor in the U.S. is growing alarmingly larger. We are the richest country in the world and yet have the greatest percentage of children living in poverty of all wealthy nations, nearly 22%.* Another article highlighted one of our celebrities, one of our glamorous, who declared bankruptcy a few years back, yet still owns three houses; one in Vegas and two in California.

The original sketch

* Berliner, David. "Fixing Schools Isn't Everything." NEAToday. February 2006: Pps. 38-39

Illustration Friday: Cat

2006-01-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

Tiger sometimes thinks he's a hood ornament. Here he is on a '58 Edsel.

We share space with two cats, one indoor only and one outdoor only (though he has access to the garage through Blackie the mutt's doggie door). The indoor cat is a diminutive, albeit full-grown, gray and black female named Skweex. The outdoor cat is named Tiger, and he must remain outside because, even though he's neutered, he has chosen a corner of the living room in which to urinate. This is a non-negotiable offense with me; he only comes indoors under constant observation. He prefers the outdoors at this point, anyway, because the much younger and smaller Skweex pesters him.

When we come home from work or the store or a small trip, Tiger is at the end of the driveway to meet us, trusting our driving skills (and our brakes) implicitly. I have warned my daughter and my wife that the noble feline will surely end up as driveway pizza someday, no matter how careful we are. He disappears under the front of the vehicle, and we must creep forward at tortoise pace, praying that he is moving ahead in front of the wheels.

One of his favorite cat things to do is to warm his rump on the heated hood of the car. See below...

The real Tiger on my actual mode of transportation

Tiger will often be perched on one of the vehicles when we are ready to use it ourselves. He will stay there until we have backed out of the driveway, only jumping off when the auto starts moving forward, at which point the driver is forced to crane head and neck to determine that he has retreated back to the yard. Fortunately for
Tiger, we live at the end of a cul-de-sac, and there is not much traffic. Also, he is a homebody, and never ventures more than a couple of doors in either direction.

For those of you who are wondering why I've placed the cat on an Edsel in the illustration, you'll have to go to my Illustration Friday post on 'E is for...' I made a promise that I'd include an Edsel in the illustration for the next topic. So, true to my word there's the rough rendering of the elusive Edsel. I've been a bit rushed this week, and the illustration shows it.

Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy (or at least complacent and contemplative). Peace to us all.

Illustration Friday: E is for...

2006-01-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

Elephant in the living room...
Gotta say I wasn't elated when I read this week's topic. I mean it didn't evoke any real emotion in me. I earnestly tried to ignore the first thought that entered my mind... an elegant elephant eating eggplant in an Edsel. So I started thinking about people with E as one of the intials in their names. Einstein, Eminem, or ... say, how about Edgar Allen Poe? An eclectic mix of personalities, I know. As a matter of fact, I endeavored to render a likeness of that great American poet and originator of the detective story...

... but my initial attempt didn't excite me all that much. May eventually finish it and post it to the other blog.

So. I thought and thought, and all sanity eluded me. That damned elephant came trumpeting back into my train of thought, blasting my eardrums. "Egads!" I exclaimed, exhausted. "Enough! Let me extricate the beast from my brain!" So 'ere you go. Entertain yourself in his living room.

Peace, everyone.

Illustration Friday: Sea

2006-01-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

So Jonah went to sea in the belly of a 'fish' of some sort. Whether you take the story as literal fact or as allegory, his sea cruise had to be a little uncomfortable. And the fish... or whale... or whatever... having a hooman bean stuck in his craw. That had to hurt. No wonder he belched the reluctant prophet up on the beach.

Think I went a little overboard myself, with all the layering done here. One of those instances where you don't know where to stop. Same goes with this wordy text entry. Stop me, please.

Peace, everyone.

Illustration Friday: Flavor

2006-01-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

"There's nothing like unrequited love to take all the flavor out of a peanut butter sandwich."
-Charles Schulz

This 'flavor' subject has so many possibilities, it was hard for me to narrow the choices down: summertime strawberries from the Salinas Valley, a good glass of pinot noir, any of the famous 31 ice cream flavors. When I have trouble choosing just one, I start searching the quotation sites. Found some good quotes, but this one from a Peanuts strip especially touched me. Not that I'm suffering from unrequited love... at least I don't think so... we'd have to ask my wife. No, I'm particularly fond of peanut butter. I could probably live off the stuff. I can't imagine it losing its flavor. Life would be hard.

Illustration Friday: Holiday

2005-12-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

Maybe I won't even begin to try to explain how my thinking ended up here when coming up with this little Christmas Eve game. I just know that when I saw the topic for this week, I decided I wasn't gonna risk Pat Robertson's wrath by doing some politically correct version of Merry Christmas. So, I went totally some other way. I don't know why.

I was just gonna put 'Happy...' above the two caricatures, but then I realized that neither Doc Holiday or Billie Holiday had particularly happy lives. Doc died of TB when he was 35. (Side note: do we all agree that Val Kilmer has done the best Hollywood version of this western legend?) Billie died when she was 44. She enjoyed success as a singer, but she went through some very rough times: raped at a young age, discrimination, and substance abuse.

Anyway, may everyone have a truly wonderful week, whatever belief (or non-) that you have. Go to my other blog for a more conventional seasonal greeting.

Illustration Friday: Imagine

2005-12-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

I have a friend I've never seen.
He hides his head inside a dream.
Someone should call him and see
If he can come out.
Try to lose the down that he's found.

-Neil Young, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," 1970

Early Friday morning I checked Illustration Friday and found that "Imagine" was the topic for the week. I had a five-hour drive ahead of me, and I loaded up a bunch of CDs for the road trip to pick up my son at college. During the drive I would dwell now and then on the topic and how to visualize it. Nothing good was coming to mind.

But it was shortly after I popped in Neil Young's After the Gold Rush (during the third song, actually), that one of his lyrics painted a picture for me. I departed from the lost love aspect of the words and started thinking about this friend hidden in a dream; an allegory for one's imagination. Something that has to break free from what is and become what might be.

I think Illustration Friday is a wonderful outlet for 400-500 folks and their imaginings every week. It's a great place to share and be inspired by others.

What I imagined the illustration would shape itself into -- for the piece itself takes over sometime during creation, and the artist just hangs on for the ride -- was slightly different from what ended up here, but I'll go with it. May we all nourish our imaginations. Peace to everyone.

Illustration Friday: Surprise

2005-12-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie was considered a delicacy at one time, I guess... just not baked live, as in the nursery rhyme. It would be a surprise I'd just as soon not experience. As a little boy in the 1910s, however, my father would provide his great-grandmother blackbirds for pies. Don't mean to upset anyone; it's just a fact that people used to eat that stuff. Maybe they still do somewhere. Hope I haven't offended anyone who's including this in their menu tonight.

Illustration Friday: Blue

2005-12-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

Sat and thought about the topic 'blue' for quite awhile. It was my wife who suggested that I do a take on the Blues. "But," she said, "that's plural; not singular 'blue.'" I disregarded her objection and went with it. So here's my humble tribute to legendary Bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins (1912-1982). Thanks for the music and the sincerity, Lightnin'.

Photo Friday: Experimental

2005-12-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

Whenever I want to get experimental, I head to the kitchen. Some great (and not-so-great) concoctions have come out of those times.

Illustration Friday: Small

2005-11-26T16:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know what the heck that little guy is riding that ladybug... some sort of cross betwixt an elf and a fairy, I guess. I just know he's a little guy; has to be to be able to put a bit in a ladybug's mouth. Apologies to those bug experts who know better... I didn't have any source reference for the bug... Know she/he's probably all anatomically incorrect. Oh, well.

Photo Friday: Yellow

2005-11-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

Photo Friday: Imperfection

2005-11-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

Not just the cup; the 'Dad' part, too.