We did a lot of driving in August!

My new year's resolution rolls on, I haven't posted my results here but I do have each month as a slideshow on my My Youtube Channel.

Happy Fourth of July to all my good friends!

Month of February sketches

I was able to complete the goal for February, one sketch for each day. Here is the slideshow, enjoy!

January sketch resolution

I decided that instead of sharing each day of the month a new sketch, that I'd rather post up a slideshow of each day instead. So, for the month of January, enjoy this presentation...

Sketch resolution

Our family is out of state for a beloved grandmas funeral. In the time between get togethers I have been able to keep up with my sketching. I've decided to post 2 days sketches in the same post, as soon as I return. Apparently blogspot doesnt have iPad compatibility.

Sketch resolution

This concept has been percolating on my mind for a while. It's not perfect, but it's not supposed to be. It's a sketch.

Man stretching himself too thin.

Sketch resolution

Had to take Sunday off. I won't even go in to my schedule, a lot of meetings. Sunday's can be a pretty busy day for me. So, I don't feel so bad missing a day considering what I was doing instead. Here's monday... back on track.

Man-sized trash can ollie

Sketch resolution

On we go. I love sketching the flowing lines and shapes of skateboarding. It can be very expressive. This sketch completes a whole week, it's been very interesting!

Sketch Resolution

I felt like expanding on Alannah's theme from yesterday, except I thought I'd illustrate the lesser known, microheroes. Everyone galmorizes the SUPERhero, but the microhero is no less amazing. Day 6, check!

Sketch Resolution

I waited until later in the day, the day was in fact over by the time I got around to the sketch. I am so glad I didn't procrastinate. I have a few drawings that are sparked by emotion. In my experience, illustrations that can convey an emotion are the most difficult to do and are the most interesting to look at. I hope you agree.

I hope you never encounter this hate filled creature.

Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental (but probably exactly who you think it is). Isn't that the disclaimer at the end of most movies?

Alannah's superhero and sidekick!

Sketch Resolution

More of my little boy playing in the backyard. He loves to run up the half pipe, grab the coping and pull himself up. I built a ladder for him around the back, but he'd rather do it the hard way! The dog's just chillin on the top.

Jim's sketch

Alannah's classic peanuts!

Sketch Resolution

Continuing on my daily sketch goal, I took an hour or so with my son in our backyard. During that time, I was able to capture gestures of his activity, the dogs are the same way. They don't hold still for very long, which makes sketching and drawing them a bit challenging!

Jonathan with Dogs

Just in the nick of time, Alannah's PencilJammer's assignment: MC Escher

Tessalation

Sketch resolution

I've been fascinated with a story from National Geographic about Hawaiian Monk seals that are native to the north western HI islands, including Kauai. So, today's drawing is inspired from those endangered seals.

Jim's Seal Study

Alannah's study of seals

New Year's Resolution

With the start of the new year often come unrealistic and unreasonable goals. As long as I can remember I've set some goals to draw more in my everyday life. This goal is difficult to measure and quantify and hold myself accountable for. So, this year I've decided to include my daughter Alannah, who is also a very talented artist.
The goal = complete 1 new drawing every day for a year.
365 new drawings
The drawing does not have to be an amazing piece of finished artwork, just a sketch will do.
At the end of the year, this blog will have a record of each drawing completed and a complete accounting how successful we were in living up to our goal.
I'd love to hear from anyone who decides to follow this blog, and eagerly anticipate any feedback and input. Wish us luck!

Alannah's Chimera

Jim's Chimera

January 1st, 2012
Goal met!

Talk Story Bookstore

It's been a week since our return from Kauai. While there, I was able to talk with a local bookstore in Hanapepe about carrying 2 of my books. Talk Story bookstore, the western most bookstore in the U.S.! Wailoa & Kukui and Giovanni of course. They agreed to carry the books on consignment, which is absolutely perfect. It was a wonderful experience, Ed and Cynthia are 2 of the nicest people, and they seemed genuinely excited to have my books. I dropped off 4 of each with them, and by the next week 2 'Wailoa'  books had sold. I haven't checked in with them since returning home, but I plan on doing that today in fact. I'm just glad to have an outlet where these books can be introduced to their target market, Hawaii tourism. Thanks Ed and Cynthia!!!
A few photos:

Front and center on the counter!

Classic bookstore!

InTouch Credit Union

I have a meeting today with a regional representative for InTouch Credit Union to discuss the possibility of doing a children's book for them. The topic would be about money specifically for children. One of their representatives from our little local branch came and did a presentation to Alisa's class as well as all the other 2nd graders in the elementary school. I happened to be there as well that day and heard the whole presentation. It was quite clear to me that something like a children's book about money would be a wonderful way to promote their company while providing a service to new members or even existing members with children.
I haven't spoken with anyone regional yet, but my hope is to communicate my 'vision' for the book. It has the potential to be used company wide, the credit union has branches in 6 states: CA, NV, TX, MI, PA, VA. In creating a book about their mascot, Chip, it would be an educational book and would also have coloring pages, even lesson plans to be made available to elementary schools in future presentations. It's a really good idea, now to make sure I can communicate it effectively and still make some money from it!!!
My thought is to still have publishing control over the product, by assigning an ISBN I can list it on amazon and barnes and noble. Just doing simple math, their website shows 21 branches in those 6 states. If each branch needed 500 copies that's over 10,000 books, and 500 isn't very many! I'm thinking paperback too, which is even better because shipping is manageable. You can see that there is a huge potential for a residual income on this book. Other branding and products, such as the coloring pages, bookmarks, the lesson plans for teachers etc. This could be the start of something amazing, something life changing and HUGE!
I'll keep you posted as to how it all goes!
Hawaii in 2 weeks, I hope to make some connections there as well for selling my inventory of Hawaii books! A lot going on, including the convention in Orlando with Vaddio the week before Hawaii. Are we having fun yet?

It's all on hold...

Pictorical told me via e-mail that they didn't have the rights to publish my story in the US. Since I live in the US, it didn't make sense to continue that work and not have the story available to purchase for my own friends and family. They made a decent offer to make up for the mistake, but it got me thinking about the amount of work that it is to create illustrations versus the LACK of payment in advance or perhaps ever.
So, I put my relationship with that company on hold. I'm not sure I'll be illustrating for them after all. Stay tuned...

Finally...the MACHINE!

Final Disintegration Machine!

Sketch with Tesla lightning...

The Evil genius again...

Busy day. I finally had the inspiration I needed to undertake the rendering of the star of the story, the actual machine! I love how it turned out!

Road trip!

Leaving the office to visit Dr. Nemor

Preliminary sketch!

Hello again,

This represents the scene where the scientist and the reporter set off to visit Dr. Nemor and his machine. I don't necessarily illustrate a story in order. It kind of comes to me, and as it does I draw it down. Anyway, there it is.

Pictorical update

I've continued to sketch and draw in my down time in between jobs. It has been challenging at times visualizing the imagery, but I couldn't be more pleased with how Dr. Nemor turned out (he's the evil genius). I've put the text reference from the original manuscript as the caption for his illustration. Let me know what you think!

Here's the main character, the timid reporter sent by his editor to verify the claims of Dr. Nemor and his disintegration machine.

From the story... 

"...the next instant Theodore Nemor entered our apartment. I can see him now as he stood with the sunlight full upon him, rubbing his long, thin hands together and surveying us with his broad smile and his cunning yellow eyes.

He was a short, thick man, with some suggestion of deformity in his body, though it was difficult to say where that suggestion lay. One might say that he was a hunchback without the hump. His large, soft face was like an underdone dumpling, of the same colour and moist consistency, while the pimples and blotches which adorned it stood out the more aggressively against the pallid background. His eyes were those of a cat, and catlike was the thin, long, bristling moustache above his loose, wet, slobbering mouth. It was all low and repulsive until one came to the sandy eyebrows. From these upwards there was a splendid cranial arch such as I have seldom seen."