Some Thanksgiving Thankful-ness.

Well here's hoping a note in a batch of pixels that constitute this blog can express a little gratitude here on Thanksgiving:  I'm thankful for my wife and daughters: I enjoy them every minute of the day.  Somewhere among those minutes of every day I thank my lucky stars for the ability to draw for a living ( even an occasional hand turkey ) and to do so for genuinely good, interesting and enjoyable people:  I'm most grateful for their trust in me.  And I thank any and all who take a look at this blog and find something interesting or amusing. 

If not now then soon.

Shelf Whimsy

Series of illustrations for a Chicago food company and their line of tasty fruit treats. 

Full-Course Illustration, check please!

Finish off with a refreshing mint?

Hey you've got a little sauce on your chin...

Full-Course Illustration Part 3

Dive into dessert as sweet as they were quick to draw...

Full-Course Illustration Part 2

Hey lets dig right into the main course...

Full-Course Illustration

With Thanksgiving on the way I thought it high-time to dig out the 'marker feedbag of illustration' and deliver a heapin' helpin' of samples. Lets kick it off with a snack for the kids...

Election Day

Carried my under-used sketchbook for something to do in anticipation of a long line to vote.  Turned out there was no waiting, so I took advantage of the warm, sunny day to sit outside and scrawl out a quick sketch as I enjoyed a free Starbucks coffee ( I sprung for a scone ) and watch a small plane circle in the clear blue sky.  A serene scene for what I hope is a day of minimum voting hi-jinks and maximum results!

Election Eve. No more recounts!

Remember the days of hanging chads and machine malfunctions? Hopefully all a distant memory tomorrow as a strong turnout and lessons learned puts this years election in the bag early! This illustration appeared in the Chicago Reader. 

Idiotes Guide to Election '08

Take a break from the intensity of the campaign for a moment to check out how my plumber friend has put his plunger to good use! http://www.cafepress.com/idiote

Happy Halloween!

I've fallen behind the Halloween thing since Milwaukee held Trick or Treat LAST Sunday afternoon- October 26. Throw in a stubborn cold and a Ideation/quick-sketching session in Chicago this week, and I'm down to the wire with this Halloween image. Well, here's to big bags of goodies! BTW- whats your favorite candy bar?

Kitchen and Bath Bouquet

A lovely bouquet proposed for a national Kitchen and Bath supply company.  I figure it could help 'Joe the Plumber' chase those blues away after having his story spring a few leaks!

Joe- the Plunger?

Here's what could serve as illustrated proof of a rudimentary early attempt at the craft of plumbing by "Joe the Plumber" (note unshaved dome). 

Is it really Joe? Is he really a plumber?

Actually, this is a illustration I did a few years ago as part of a humorous product concept for my good friend and colleague Russ Schoen. Russ is a expert trainer, facilitator, and speaker in the field of creativity, innovation and leadership (though he probably couldn't help you with plumbing). 

Pay him a visit at http://russchoen.com. 

Image ©2006 Mindgarden Innovation Inc. 

Wheels

I opened the archives and found these images in response to a client request. In no particular order, here's some greeting cards, ideation quick-sketch, and a marketing concept...

... speaking of vehicles, I used to own a 1965 Mercury Comet. It was white with a super-clean red interior, "three-on-the-tree" and a AM radio with crystal-clear reception ( the best way to listen to classic country on WSM out of Nashville ). Of course, it was my best car I've ever owned. Hey, do you have a favorite car? grandpa's wagon?, your pal's Pacer? maybe even a soap box derby racer or (gulp) a Segway?

SPECIAL OFFER: The first three readers to email me with their favorite set of wheels will receive a quick and cool illustration of it back from me. Hurry, this 

is a limited time offer!