IDEA GENERATING

Being a freelance Illustrator is not the easiest racket. I have to admit, I don't get paid editorial Illustration gigs nearly as much as I would like. That's why it is important (and satisfying) for me to play the art director and give myself illustration assignments.

The images generated on my own feel different to me than commissioned work. Sure they can sometimes lack the specificity that paid illustrations inherently have. Plenty of times the images can just fail... BUT the freedom to make my own changes and improvements is nice.

Flipping through my sketchbooks, I started selecting drawings to tighten up or use as inspiration to create fresh work.  Sometimes I don't really know what the sketches are about.  Is that important? Maybe not.
For instance the sketch below, "Night Of the Crocodile," is close to an image I did for a college assignment a long time ago. I think it was for an imaginary cuban restaurant menu. I had a big Studebaker driving toward a crocodile.

The cover was supposed to be cut paper and I completely missed the concept of cut paper and delivered a horrible image that was mostly glue and dirt.  I may have failed...but the composition wasn't bad. And although I have changed it considerably, I still dig it.  Looks like a mystery Novel cover.  It needs work but the seed is planted.

Animal Spot Illustrations, Seattle Met Magazine

I recently did some spot Animal Illustrations for   Seattle Metropolitan Magazine (August Issue).  

Thanks for taking a gander.  

-Joe

Seattle Met Magazine Illustration: San Juan Islands

I recently had the opportunity to draw a map illustration of the San Juan Islands for Seattle Metropolitan Magazine (August Issue). It reminds me of one of those placemat maps you see in roadside diners. 

It was a real learning experience.  I rarely have to make things that read super small.  So I had to simplify my normal drawing technique.  I think it worked out well. Thanks so much to the Seattle Met team for giving me such a meaty project.  

Below are some roughs of how it developed. Thanks for taking a gander.  

-Joe

Sketch 1

Sketch 2

Final Art

The Last Policeman

The good people at Quirk Books are using my image to promote the pre-orders of the final book in the last Policeman Book Series, "World of Trouble." If you place an order you can get a poster of my image. Pretty neat! Thanks to Ben, Eric and the rest of the Quirk Books team.

You can place your order at the link below:

http://quirkbooks.com/worldofpreorder

http://quirkbooks.com/worldofpreorder

Spot for Hemispheres Magazine "PR for the People"

Here is some work for Hemispheres Magazine.  I did  this image way back in September but it didn't get published until January. Check out the article.

 

sketch

Version 2 with reflection, I think they made the right choice for the final.

Miami New Times, Spot Illustrations

Rough Sketch

I recently did a few more spots for the Miami New Times.  More hardboiled stories in the Sunshine State.  

Check out the article:

Shawn LaBeet: Cop Killer Redux

Final Art

Rough Sketch

Final Art

Black and White Spots

Here are a few more spots for Miami New Times.  Another grim subject matter.  But it made for some interesting images.