Genies

Here are the repeating genies in place. (It helps to click on the image to enlarge it) This illustrates a story in a math magazine, and I warn you, even a story-problem lover like me gets lost trying to solve this one.

What these explorers are viewing is an octagonal treasure chest, with a drum at each corner. Inside each drum is a genie, each standing either heads up or feet up. Each time you strike a drum, the genie within flips over AND the entire octagon spins so that you don't know which drum you have just struck. Once all genies are either heads up or feet up, the treasure chest opens. The logic starts out simply (If there were only two genies, you would hit one drum and the chest opens) but I am left behind as the numbers increase and the thinking gets complicated.

But it's not the illustrator's job to understand the math. What is important: solving the editors' dilemma. Namely, how can you illustrate genies that nobody can see? That was the inspiration for creating a repeating surface pattern to begin with.

I  ESCHER

I was looking for a heart icon, but could only find the Apple logo. Then I realized it's more accurate in this case: if you focus on the bite, it reads "I chomp Escher." Because I often do. In this case, I really did take a big bite. I have always marveled at his interlocking repeating figures. I designed the genies as part of another image that isn't complete yet. Eventually they will wrap around an object, including the top of a round chest:


Thanks to our friend Photoshop, I can repeat it endlessly, and in a variety of distorted shapes. What would M.C. have done with a Mac?

They're Gonna Put Me in the Movies

Here's the book trailer for "Diamond Ruby" written by Joe Wallace. At the 1:30 mark is a cameo appearance of the poster I made to promote the book. This trailer was all shot in and around Pleasantville, and combines new footage and historic footage.

Caricature of a Caricature

Here's an illustration I just did for an article about the demonization of Frances Fox Piven by Glenn Beck and those of his ilk. It was a good opportunity to draw someone who really doesn't need much tweaking to become a caricature. He has always reminded me of Howard Beale, who was fictional and seen as an extreme satirical character back when "Network" was released in 1976. Watching the movie now, there is nothing extreme or satirical about it. It just seems prescient. A possibly mentally unstable individual, who is encouraged to act in outrageous ways for television ratings? Today we can't even count the Howard Beales.

"There is No Dog" round 5

The last of three "There is no dog" projects done with my friend John Bergin was the most satisfying. It really felt like an artistic process that evolved into something better and better, and like all good collaborations it would have never been born without both artists' input. It can be seen in its entirety here. The rest of John's collaborations are here.

"There Is No Dog" rounds 3 and 4

See my previous post to get caught up. The two details at the top of the page are from the two completed pieces as they appear on John Bergin's new blog. As the Luna Park image (in progress below) and those by other artists collaborating with John are finished, they can be seen there.

Luna Park, in progress. Here's what John sent back to me (click to enlarge):

This references the true story of the bizarre spectacle of an elephant being electrocuted to death right in Luna Park. Here's what I sent back to him.

"There Is No Dog" rounds 1 and 2

My friend John Bergin (who is always making cool things) invited me to do an Exquisite Corpse-style project he is calling "There is no dog." He also sent this to other artist friends. The idea is that I add something and send it back to him, he does the same, until it is done. Here are the three options he sent (click on image to see them bigger): I thought I might as well add to all three, and see what he does next. From left to right, I added a detail of an illustration I am working on, a Gericault painting, and a photo of Luna Park at Coney island that I am using as reference for another illustration. Here's Round 2:

Stay tuned.