More supplies

The experimental illustration days of yore are resurfacing to my consciousness almost daily. The call of pencil, ink and paper is louder and almost impossible to ignore. My wife bought me a new large sketch pad. I have just about used up all of the pages in my original one from 1985, making more drawings in 90 days than I have in almost 25 years.

She also bought new drawing ink and box to keep my new "tools" in one place. Within the next few days I'll be dipping my old Speedball Artist Pens into new bottle of Higgins ink. It's a shame the new bottles are plastic. Back in the day, they were glass! I still have one, but it's white.

Stuck in Jail

Sometimes I feel trapped. Like a bird in a cage, I am made to depend on the benevolence of my keeper. Other times I'm like a bird in an open cage, refusing to leave the safety of a familiar space. Fear, frustration and loneliness are never far from the mind.

I have also been aware of the ugly statistics regarding the prison industrial complex. This is an important part of the economy for many communities around the world. It is often a merciless machine in which the innocent can get caught in the blink of an eye. Jail is for the bad guy—whether guilty or not.

These three illustrations capture the essence of these ideas. I would appreciate your feedback. You can download watermark-free versions from Stockfuel.

Challenge Yourself!

© Photographer: Theblackrhino | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Challenge yourself! Challenge others! This set of mazes are very affordable and can be colored in with crayon, colored pencil or paint! It's a great puzzle for ages 5 to 505.

Download it (please don't steal my work), print it, cut out the solution, color in the cool outer space objects and see if you can make it to the exit.

Click on the image to download from Dreamstime at any size at good prices.

A Messy Maze

I'm no plumber. When I try, it turns out quite messy! However, in my day job as a photo retoucher, I've had to fix plenty of messes regarding photos. I've always wondered if a plumber ever found a mess of pipes. So I could only imagine this might illustrate such a dilemma.

Click on the image to purchase it for yourself or your organization.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan is an important Islamic holiday that is about reviving a Muslim's spirit, self-discipline and fortification of ties between family and friends. This illustration is about a mother and daughter walking to a masjid (Muslim house of congregational prayer) to pray.

Historically, women have been a critical part of the masjid and Islam. Publications such as Azizah Magazine demonstrate the necessity of women in the forefront of Islamic thought and the cultures inspired by it.

This image is available for sale at many stock agencies such as Graphic Leftovers and Stockfuel.

Mad Man

This image started out as a doodle of a humanoid science fiction character: Thick black eyes, strange folds in the skin, etc. Trying to think "like a buyer" I had a suspicion that it might sell better if it was more human- and business-related.

So I erased some parts and added others—especially his suit and tie! I then started to morph him into an angry "boss man" character inspired by the many prototypes in cartoons, comics and sitcoms I watched over the years.

I added some uncut hairs on his scalp to accentuate the chaos of his personality. The halo is probably over the top. It almost reminds me of a portrait of a passionate Hindu diety. I'm not too happy with the colors of his suit and tie. Nevertheless, I think it makes the point.

A New Sea Creature

Even though the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico well has been capped, the consequences of the world's demand for cheap oil and petroleum products hasn't been capped. In fact it appears that we aren't in the least bit aware of how accidents like these will only continue unabated if conservation and long-term sustainable planning are not made a priority over consumption and economic growth.

So I was inspired to create this illustration. It seems we have created a new sea creature: The oil barrel. We mine oil. We package it. We abuse it. Whether in its crude form, refined as fuel or as a plastic bottle, we have littered the oceans with it. The creatures who make the ocean their home must now live with it.

Can we sympathize with them and reconsider the oil culture? Can we see deeply enough into their plight and see the effects it has on our health and societies? I will do all in my power to put this belief into practice. What about you?