AJ Smith Picture Books Blog

NEW ADDITIONS

2011-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

Updated my website... reworked the navigation for the whole thing and finally added an ANIMATION/DESIGN page:
http://ajsmith.net/anim.html
and a TECHNICAL ILLUSTRATION page: http://ajsmith.net/tech.html

Author / Illustrator Event at BOOK RACK in Nbpt

2010-11-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Take the train up from Boston or wheel down 93/95 from NH!

Mundane Museum of Boring Grown-Up Tedium

2010-08-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

Can you think of anything more boring to kids? Lots of room to stuff in some BORING! ... yawn.

"Jumbonormous" conceptual sketches

2010-02-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

visual brainstorming a new picture book project...

submarine

2010-02-07T18:14:00.001-08:00

quick illo for the Maine Illustrators' site... which BG looks best?
http://www.maineillustratorscollective.org/

The Year In Review: 2009

2010-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

It was a different year for me, to say the least. On a personal level, it was a wonderful year with a new house and a new baby (although technically she arrived 12/08). Professionally, things were a bit stagnant, like a lot of areas of our economy. 2006, 2007, 2009 all saw me do very well as a full time freelance illustrator. But after turning down a 6 book deal (because I was Daddy Daycare), I had no book offers come my way all of 2009. Pictured below are some of the jobs and personal projects I dabbled with.

rejected drawings

2010-01-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

"fight", "fort" and "flakes"

rejected images from an illustrated icons project i am working on.

Hard Hab-It To Break

2010-01-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

I suffer from the unfortunate affliction of being an obsessive hockey fan, particularly a Montreal Canadiens fan. I wish I could stop, sometimes. I have been able (until very recently) to keep my hockey watching urges in check by not ordering cable. I am, however, unable to keep myself from hanging on each review from online bloggers like Apon Basu's daily hab-it http://dailyhab-it.blogspot.com/. In a weak attempt to validate this addiction, I've offered to do a logo design for his site. As such, here are some of the ROUGH first brainstorms:

I want the image to be clear but with a retro NFBC-esque feel.

FINISHED LOGO:

Best Nest

2009-12-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

Rough layout sketches for a birds' nest poem.

fun stuff

2009-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

playing around with some ideas...

and Humpty Dump...

(pretty corny joke but i like how it came out)

opening spread (maybe?) for new "duck" book

For a "Re-imagining the Classics" show in Maine

2009-10-29T20:40:00.001-07:00

Newburyport Harbor

2009-10-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

sketch Lisa Ann II in the Merimack River. I plan on doing a whole series of these, provided I can find some good brush pens soon.

dog portrait commission color mock-up

2009-09-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

rough color:

and final:

Is this a plausible scenario??

2009-09-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Would a 4-5 yr old read (or look at the pictures) of a picture book under the covers with a flashlight (in lieu of sleep)?

I know the idea of a kid with a flashlight under the covers is oft-used prototypical imagery (and that's OK with me) BUT at WHAT age do they do this? I know I did it but I feel like it wasn't until older... I don't know.

I do have to swap out the Mad magazine parody in favor of a picture book (4 yr olds wouldn't be reading mad--wouldn't get the joke)

I have to nail the age logistics.

HELP!

bobcat maze

2009-09-08T09:26:00.001-07:00

initial rough drawing:

revised rough:

and final:

A or B?

2009-08-14T06:11:00.000-07:00

the only difference is the monster kids in the "background" of the bus.

ducks unlimited

2009-08-03T19:47:00.001-07:00

quicky quackies

more old vs new

2009-07-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

old

new

monster character sketches

2009-07-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Fooling with some character ideas for two little monster brothers...

old vs new

2009-07-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

old (cut paper style--didn't go over so well):

new (digital paint):

too subtle a difference? i toned down and simplified the palette, worried less about line and tried to retain some sketchiness, and blotted in color with bigger brush and generally tried to be looser (like the post below).

too rough?

2009-07-09T16:15:00.001-07:00

Is this too rough a drawing/style to be considered a finished piece for a picture book? It's been so hard to let myself be this loose and simple. Does it work?

I think most immediately of James Marshall and Quentin Blake (and more recently, Mo Willems) as examples of rough but simple PB illustration.

rough maze illustration

2009-06-30T10:48:00.001-07:00

Maine Illustrators Collective: WORKING ARTISTS SHOW, Kennebunk Library

2009-06-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

WORKING ARTISTS SHOW, organized by some of the artists in the MEIC, is being held in a gallery space, at the Kennebunk Free Library in Kennebunk, ME.

Show runs July 2nd-July 31st

Artist's Reception is in Hank's Room, Kennebunk Free Library
July 8th 4:30-7:30pm The public is welcome.

In addition to myself, the following artists will be participating in the exhibit:
Gabe McPhail www.workshop31.com
Joel Zain Rivers www.obioncomics.com
Nicole Fazio www.nicolefazioillustration.com
Nancy Cooper Funk www.nancycooperfunk.com
Jamie Hogan www.hoganbraun.com.
Jessica Lynn Clark http://jessicalynnclark.blogspot.com
Judith Hunt www.huntjudith.com
Patricia Sharp SHARP DESIGN’S STUDIO & GALLERY Milbridge, Maine
Pat Wooldridge www.wooldridgeequineart.com
Leticia Plate www.leticiaplate.com
Christia Siravo www.csiravo.com/
Katie Diamond www.katiediamond.com
Michael Boardman www.coyotees.com/illustration
Helen Stevens www.helenstephens.com
Roz Davis www.rozdavis.com
Wade Zahares /www.zahares.com

MEICwebsite is http://www.maineillustratorscollective.org Blog: http://mecollective.blogspot.com/

School Is For Nincompoops pages 8,9

2009-05-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: 6/18/09--Editors aren't going for the color palette and "mass market" look of this illustration and others I've done like it... I'm going to have to take a hard look at my stuff and reevaluate my strengths and weaknesses... I've GOT to figure SOMETHING out!

Bear Food

2009-05-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation, I've opted to go with a less is more approach regarding line work...

ROUGH cover thumbnail for new PB

2009-04-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

sample dummy image--Schmucks, anyone?

2009-04-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

did the finished line drawing only to realize i need to rework the entire page layout to better accommodate the type.

As it stands here, the point of view could be interpreted incorrectly or at least be a little confusing. I'll post the revised rough image once it has been realized...

Also, CAN YOU SAY "SCHMUCKS" IN A PICTURE BOOK (for 4-8 year olds)? Is there any better (funnier??) words that would fit? I've dabbled with "dweebs" but it might not sound as good in the given sentence (which is also the title, tentatively) as well.

Ideas??

WHICH ONE DO YOU PREFER?--hey it took 3rd place! Not too shabby

2009-02-26T07:09:00.000-08:00

Two illustrations I am actually happy with... each for the same theme: "Many Voices". Which one do I go with?? The 'Many Vises' design with the teacher/student was the first one I cooked up but I felt it was maybe a bit too obtuse a concept?... so, I then conjured up the more generic but hopefully still fun dinosaur poster. Please cast your vote on the right -->

WHICH ONE DO YOU PREFER?

sneak peek at some illustrations for Zumis Espresso website

2009-02-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

Look what I made now!

2009-01-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

(My wife helped too)

So that's been my last BIG creative endeavor. Hopefully, will be posting some new illustration work soon!

Library of Tomorrow CHARACTER DESIGNS

2008-10-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here's some ROUGH character designs for the main characters of my newest book dummy i am starting to work on.

They are based on the roughs I posted from an earlier sketch.

finished spread

2008-10-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

finished spread from my new picture book dummy, "Yuck, Put That Back Where You Found It". The story is about a little boy who's not allowed to have any pets. He's befuddled and upset when his parents get to take home and keep a pet of their own: A baby sister.

GADGETS GALORE! updated 10/9/08

2008-07-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

To the right is the latest installment. Discarded iconic library icons, which have become obsolete compared to their high tech replacements

These sketches are for a picture book project I've been working on/writing for a few months now. I've put it on the back burner temporarily. In the meantime, I'll keep posting some of these rough drawings...

Below are random background characters with their gadgets.

Below, are the main character, Preston, his Grammy, old weathered librarian and new cyborg librarian... and oh yah, a monkey (cuz libraries have monkey bars now!)

new cover art for Buzz Beaker #6

2008-06-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

still a working title but i laid in the type just to get an overall sense of the thing...

Just One More Book Logo (final)--DAY 7 of 21

2008-06-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

Here's my illustration for JustOneMoreBook.com's call for entries.

Theo's Thumb EXERCISE -- DAY 5, 6, 8-10 of 21

2008-06-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Above are the revisions of the images below...

Been trying to perfect the style... still not quite there... but improving... these are way too muddy.

Boots -- DAY 4 of 21

2008-05-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

These are part of what were supposed to be a quadriptych that I'd then make prints of for the Old Port Fest in Portland, Maine this Sunday... but a combination of time and not being thrilled with the direction they were heading made me ditch them, at least for now. I did start to paint one of them but hated it. I may attempt to do them again, but they'll be much simplified.

Why is it other artists start simple and gradually add details whereas I have to strip away layers of detail and line over time?

Simon -- DAY 3 of 21

2008-05-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

Still got some bugs to work out but not too shabby for the allotted time... I plan on doing more caricatures for editorial work so hopefully this is the start of something cool.

Flower Pedals -- DAY 2 of 21

2008-05-28T07:09:00.001-07:00

I like this idea. Maybe I will do a finished version and spend a bit more time than 15 mins...

Just One More Book Logo (rough)--DAY 1 of 21

2008-05-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

21 DAYS: I'm going to do 21 straight days of 15 minute illustrations and post them each day. "They" say 21 days is the amount of consecutive days needed to make something a habit. I've already tried it with the gym, but that didn't go so good! I'm also doing the same with my writing (but i won't be bothering to post any of it).

here's my super rough drawing for justonemorebook.com's website redesign.

Character roughs for graphic novel

2008-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

New sketches for the 6th Buzz Beaker book, tentatively titled 'Buzz Beaker Meets Dracula', slated for January '09. This manuscript is the best Buzz story yet!

Case In Point (UPDATED May 16th)

2008-04-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

I recently had a book turned down at a trade publisher, after serious consideration and a revision. Part of the reasoning was that they found the dummy sketches to be very charming but not so much with my finished art. I'm dabbling with a new illustration and I'm starting to see what they mean. The rough illustration below shows the rough pencil line AND the cleaned up version. I clean up my line work to the point where it is a bit lifeless and has lost a bit of its 'edginess'. Which do you prefer??

I am going to try and trust myself a bit more and not worry so much about making mistakes. Here are some more choices...

#1 is taking the first rough sketch, adding a rough acrylic wash and colored pencil accents on pastel paper.
#2 is the same but taking it a step further with brushed black line work. I think this one pops a bit more but has lost some of the warmth of the original sketch and maybe my lines are too thick in places with not enough variety of line weight... thoughts??
HERE IS THE 3rd ATTEMPT...
this is taking the painting and placing it behind the original sketch in photoshop... might be too muddy though because of original 6B graphite pencil shading... getting closer but still more work to do...

LOTS OF MONKEYS

2008-04-17T10:21:00.001-07:00

ABOVE IS THE FINAL

color combos for a T-Shirt for a coffee shop... there's a set of duplicates in there by mistake... can you find em?

I LOVE YOU BABY, YOU'VE GOT TO GO (TO SLEEP)

2008-04-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a a video I have been working on since December for a Jingle Punks' music video for a kids DVD.
you may have to copy and paste this link (super low-res, but you'll get the gist...):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLRW2LjWmM

I did all the illustrations by hand (colored pencils) then scanned them into Photoshop and cut them up and put them in Flash, where i did all the animation. Really put Flash to the limits. Higher resolution screen grabs below...

Baby delivery in Maine

2008-03-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

part of a series of illustrations for the Maine Medical Center's new children's/women's wing.

April Issue of Your Big Backyard

2008-03-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Spring Game in the April 08 issue of Your Big Backyard. Not thrilled with how this turned out, but is part of the evolution of finding my style. It's headed in the right direction... baby steps...

SNEAKY PEEKY

2008-03-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a cropped section from an illustration I just finished for High Five magazine...

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference Sketches 2004 - 2008

2008-03-04T07:28:00.001-08:00

Here's a convoluted compilation of scribbly doodles from the margins of my notes from SCBWI Conferences past and present.

Anyone you recognize, SCBWI peeps?

Attack of the Mutant Lunch Lady!

2008-01-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

(Buzz Beaker #4)

AVAILABLE NOW!
Brainy Buzz Beaker thought nothing could be grosser than cafeteria food. That’s before the school’s lunch lady turned into a mutant blob of mystery meat. Now, Buzz and his best friend Larry must discover a way to stop the Cafeteria Creature.
Reminds me of the days when Mrs. B used to take sandwiches out of the garbage for "her dog"...

You can order it from amazon at this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Mutant-Lunch-Lady-Brainstorm/dp/1434205010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199888178&sr=8-1

Gone with the Windmill -- INKS - sneak peek

2008-01-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

Just finished all the inked pages for Buzz Beaker #5: "Gone with the Windmill". Here's a sneak peek from the interior...

Putting the Star on Top

2007-11-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

I am easily rankled by seeing Christmas items/images prior to Thanksgiving, but alas I am now a purveyor of such. This is an image I just finished this morning for a Holiday Show in December.

possible book project...

2007-10-23T22:53:00.001-07:00

A few rough sketches I did for a potential upcoming book about an overly hyper Dalmatian named Lincoln.

movie sketches

2007-10-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple caricatures from some recent viewings of Monster Squad and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Sludgeco!

2007-10-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some rough designs for two new characters in the next Buzz Beaker graphic novel (#5!) I am doing called 'Gone with the Windmill'

Fall 07 Promo

2007-10-16T05:02:00.001-07:00

This is my promotional mailer for this fall... I like it but think it may have deviated a bit too much from where I am TRYING to go with my style.

sample spread from Theo dummy

2007-08-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

here's some random before/after samples from the dummy I am working on for my picture book, 'Theo's Tremendous-Stupendous Thumb'. I am almost ready to start pitching it. The manuscript is revised again and the dummy is complete but I just want to do a couple finished illustrations to go along with it. I'll post those when I am done.

FANG FAIRY released today!

2007-07-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

The first book I have written has been published and is available now (I also illustrated it)! It is my fourth book in total. It's part of a four book 'Jeremy Kreep' series. The first title is called FANG FAIRY!

Check it out on Amazon and ask your local libraries and schools to order it!
http://www.amazon.com/Fang-Fairy-Andy-J-Smith/dp/1598898914/ref=sr_1_1/105-5357576-1608413?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184885124&sr=1-1

new promo mailer

2007-05-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

As soon as i finished this, i went to upload it to the USPS mailer site... and found that it was down. WHAT??? anyway, I am happy with how this turned out. I wanted to make a promo that was not a pre-existing image from a job. Didn't have much time but I managed to pick away at it here and there during the week. I have to do one more for games/greeting card companies.

BNL mojizu illustration

2007-05-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

whipped this up VERY QUICKLY - gave myself a 2 hr deadline and did this just for fun for the Mojizu Bare Naked Ladies cel phone contest. It's probably not going to read too well, though as a tiny cel phone image. At least it wouldn't on my Flintstones cel phone!

Can a children's book character be two different colors?

2007-04-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the cartoon, 'Gerald McBoing Boing' (if you haven't seen it, do so at... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsyQDmEopw ). In the cartoon, the colors of the scene AND THE CHARACTERS are dictated more by mood than by realism. An element of clothing, hair, or accessory stays consistent in color scheme throughout to provide some continuity and familiarity. I have always loved this look.

As an experiment for a children's book dummy I am writing/illustrating, I wanted to see if this color approach would work in illustration. WOULD KIDS UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT A NEW CHARACTER? WOULD PUBLISHERS BE SHY ABOUT THIS BOOK SELLING FOR THAT REASON (even if kids didn't have a problem with it)?

YOU DECIDE!

Here are three examples. Two are interior scenes, both in the kitchen. The other is in the backyard. (Don't try to follow along with the storyline too much - these illustrations jump around - basically it's about a 5 year-old boy who is reluctant to stop sucking his thumb).

OLD caricatures...

2007-04-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'd love to do more caricature work. I haven't done any in quite some time. Here are some oldies from various projects. I think the likenesses are all pretty good but I'd like to push the envelope with exaggeration and some more subtle features as well. More to come hopefully!

These are more in the vein of what I want to do with caricature work. I think these are a little bit more fun (unfortunately you have no idea who these people are). They're some of my classmates at RIT where I got my Master's a few years back. I think I nailed the likenesses and personalities even if they border a bit on offensive (I hope they don't TOO much).

Stink Bug Saves the Day - odds and ends

2007-04-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

Just finished 'Stink Bug Saves the Day' and am actually fairly happy with the outcome!

Above is an unusued character (hotel manager). It would have seemed a little forced to include him.

Here is the cover (rough and final image without type)

Ozzie Otter for Leap Frog... process

2007-03-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

Was asked by the publisher to take down the images... until 2009 - check back then! HA!

Sketchbook compilation now available!

2007-02-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

been meaning to put this together for toooo long. Had some free time and finally made it happen. A lot of fun stuff in here rnaging from personal doodles to rough drawings from various animation studios and illustration projects! Rated G to PG. I was too scared to include any of the racier stuff...
order it here:
http://www.cafepress.com/SmittyCartoons

Night of the Fang Monster - COLOR pages!

2007-02-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

Just finished Night of the Fang Monster, thanks to some helps from some pals of mine! Here are two beauty-ful spreads colored by pal 'o mine, Scott Cohn (make sure to check his amazing work at www.ScottCohn.com)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Saurus

2007-02-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is a promotional piece that will eventually be part of the dummy for a children's book I just wrote called (tentatively) Peanut Butter and Jelly Saurus.

Global Frying

2007-01-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

Environmental Issues have always been pretty big to me so when gotRainForest.com asked if I would do a charity piece, I was more than happy to oblige.

greeting cards

2007-01-27T21:28:00.000-08:00

I've started doing greeting cards and hopefully this becomes a steady side gig for me... here's a few halloween cards and a birthday card (Old Dog)...

sneak peak -- Jeremy Kreep

2007-01-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

Here's the unfinished cover and a sample spread (minus text) from the first Jeremy Kreep book, Night of the Fang Monster. The borders in the final interior will be black or dark grey, not this cracked paint look.

Jon Stewart sketches

2006-11-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

i like these as quick studies but not as finished drawings. they are a bit too literal for me. but i would like to do more caricatures in the attempt to maybe get more caricature work. anyway, jon's a funny funny guy and deserves a drawing! i once met him in a bar and he bougth me a beer. nice guy!

character roughs for new books series

2006-11-14T07:11:00.000-08:00

just follin around with some drawings for a little chihuahua character for an upcoming book I am writing and illustrating. This little guy is 'Zilla'. Also pictured, is the size comps for the whole cast in the book.

final 4 Junk Band paintings are complete!

2006-10-30T11:14:00.001-08:00

I'm all done!!! Now just need to frame these four and bring them to the gallery with the other three! Should be a good show!

Home Insurance

2006-10-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

just a quick spot illustration...

first three JUNK BAND paintings are complete

2006-10-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

SCBWI Contest Entry

2006-10-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

Created this for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Halloween Illustration Contest. The goal was to illustrate a middle or high school football half-time show taking place on October 31st.
http://www.scbwi.org/contest.htm
Originally, it was going include other monsters (but I ran out of time)... The conceptual sketches for the monsters are below.

BILLIONS OF BATS, artwork complete!

2006-10-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Above is the cover and below two spreads from my third book, Billions of Bats. Now it goes off to my publisher for design owrk. It's due out in January! Now time to get started on another book and a few side projects!

Quick spot illustration

2006-09-19T17:24:00.001-07:00

This little guy was originally a design for a contest at my gym. Design your own smoothie. Now, Im no smoothie expert... but there were NFL tickets as a prize... I figured, I whip up a character and throw a few ingredients together and call it "Move Over, Hang-Over!"... who wouldn't want that!? The only thing I didn't figure was the due date. It was due the following day that I saw it. Oh well. I wanted to finish it anyway, so here it is!

Was able to do this in under 2 hrs!

JUNK BAND UPDATE 90 - 95% complete!

2006-09-16T07:11:00.001-07:00

Rough Character Sketches

2006-09-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

(above is the proposed finished color of the Stink Bug and his snail)

These beauties are preliminary sketches for a book I am working on. They'll be pushed and pulled a bit and will definitely be subject to the publisher's revisions/additions. I also want to simplify all of them. It's always tougher for me to start simple. I have to pare a drawing down through a series of eventual drawings..

Junk Band UPDATE

2006-08-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

These are a series of 'Junk Band' paintings I am doing. There will be seven in all. These are the three most complete and they are still a ways awy from finish. This image does not at all do them justice (I'm actually quite happy and proud of these). This is as close to a style that I am happy with as I have been in a long time. Could be the start of something good. They are part of a show at a gallery in Canandaigua NY later this summer so I have to get crackin'. I will update more on these guys as soon as I have more to show... and a better quality image!

BELOW ARE SOME UPDATES (in various levels of completion)

This guy is only about 25% finished. :(

About 50% complete for this one.

Shes lookin' good but still only about 60% finished.

This guy strummin' the bass is the most complete of this bunch. I'd say he's at about 85%...

Snoozin'

2006-08-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

Here's my lady nappin'

BLISSFULLY IGNORANT T-SHIRTS -- now available!

2006-08-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

look stylish and show your disdain for George W... all at once!

Gimme Shelter

2006-08-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

I made this painting on cardboard for the Gimme Shelter homless benefit show. http://www.gimmeshelter.co.uk
Check out the link! I wanted to have two pieces but didn't have time. Semi happy with this one.

Billions of Bats -- rough cover design

2006-08-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the rejected version...

Here is the revised edition...

Here is the rough colors...

more changes...

2006-08-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

Think i am finally done now... added some digital textures that (I think -- I HOPE) help it.

reworking an illustration, A LESSON IN REVISION

2006-08-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am still not thrilled with the final outcome but it is FAR superior to my earlier attempt... I always hated it but have never gone back and totally reworked a finished illustration before...but this one just bothered me. It didn;t look stylistically like my other work and the text was far too digital for my tastes. I felt I had the Bush likeness down but it just was too bland. Not fun and cartoony enough -- not pushed enough in general. So I am happier in that regard, but I don't know, too much reliance on colored pencil, prehaps? I need to try working from start to finish in acrylics! A scary task for me!!!

Conceptual Character Art

2006-07-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

These were some early concept designs for the main character of my first book, Robot Rampage... at that time, his name was Levi Wallace. The name would later change to Buzz Brainstorm (certainly flashier, but I was always partial to Levi).

Thought I had made it with this one...

..but at the last minute the publisher (the fine people at Stone Arch Books!) asked if he could be african american... done! And there he is, pictured alongside his little brother...

VIRTUAL STUDIO TOUR

2006-07-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

... Actually, it's just three pictures of my studio that I added to the 'PROCESS PAGE' of my website!

See the rest of them at... http://www.smittycartoons.com/process.html It'll give you an idea of my everyday environment!

logo design

2006-07-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

not at all my forte, but i owed a favor to a friend of my fiance's and whipped this up for him...

SUPER DAD!

2006-07-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

another for the parenting mags... hopefully!

H2 Ramb-O

2006-07-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

did this one for the 'Son of Rambo' site at http://www.sonoframbo.com/
Wanted to satisfy the criteria of that project (which is pretty wide open) while at the same time make something that was kid/parent-friendly, as I am trying to get some work from some parenting magazines, that I might have a few good contacts at.

Big Lebowski sketches

2006-07-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

This movie's in my top five (maybe top three)... anyway, here's a few doodles of The Dude and Walter!

soccer maniacs

2006-05-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

2 posts in the same day is absolutely unheard of, but I have time for my own projects again and I am happy to say I am using it wisely. Having fun! these were sorta just for the heck of it! Colored pencil beats digital any day! So happy to be taking a bit of a break from digital work and teaching digital too!

a bit of a departure...

2006-05-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

A little bit different for me... always good to experiment! This is a reassembled PlayStation 2 sculpture with acrylic over top. The intended message is how technology is becoming overwhelmingly intertwined with kids everyday lives. It's called 'Play'.

Approved Cover for Robot Rampage!

2006-03-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

With a few SLIGHT revisions (I love working with these guys!), here is the finished, color cover for my very first children's book! COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!!

Holy Mackeral! An update!

2006-02-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

Managing to post an update... my second one! and only a mere 7 months after my first post! Anway... I have started illustrating my first children's book! It's just a small educational publisher and it's a graphic novel, not a traditional picture book... but I am still pretty stoked... I'm happy it's being published and feel like it could lead to future gigs... Here is my rough sketch of the cover...

To Blog or not to Blog

2005-07-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

I had great reluctance about starting a blog. To begin with, I spend more time than I like on the computer already. A blog would only add to that problem. Also, there is the word blog itself. I hate that word. By typing these very words, I am becoming a BLOGGER. I hate that too.

Having said that, I CAN'T WAIT TO START BLOGGING!

Really, I saw a lot of nice (errgghhh) BLOGS from some very talented artists and thought it was time I got on the boat too.

Perhaps the biggest reservation I had (have) about creating my own blog... who the heck is going to read this?? Time will tell I suppose!

In any event, I am hoping that this will be a way to force me to update my work as often as possible!

-AJS