Of Camels and Dreams, and Dinosaur Things...

I don't know why the title. I've got Alice in Wonderland on the brain or something. Anyhoo...

So I painted a camel this week. I like gangly creatures apparently. Maybe a moose next.



I also promised a look at the upcoming "Dinosaur Sideshow" that we are diligently putting together at Fernbank Museum in Atlanta. Unfortunately, I don't have the final artwork on the advertising yet, but they ARE going with my suggestions on it. Here is the preliminary sketch I showed them...



I have seen a version of the final and it is MUCH more involved than that but they did go with my ideas, such as the dinosaur on the ball and fonts used for the title. We are in the final stages of putting the whole thing together but the dates for the event are October 23rd and 24th, of 2010. It is a celebration of all things dinosaur, focusing more on the popular imagery that drew all of us into loving these prehistoric monsters in the first place. More details to come but make plans today!

The Paintmonkey is published!

The new edition of Prehistoric Times magazine is out and the Paintmonkey made it in! That is the front cover so you know which issue to rush out and buy! And inside is even better!



Here is a bigger version better for viewing of my submission.

And even better still, the publisher posted in the "From the Editor" section a mention of a brand new event that we are coming up with at work called (tentatively) "The Fernbank Dinosaur Sideshow!" Right now we have Mr Fredericks (the publisher of my new favorite magazine) confirmed as a guest but we are working on many more guests and surprises! Stay tuned. Hopefully by Sunday I will have a working version of our advertisement poster ready for viewing! If not I may go ahead and post my rough sketches.

And remember, rush out NOW and buy this magazine as it will SURELY turn into a collector's item soon!

Geckos, Part Deux

So I had so much fun doing the coloring pages for work, that I just HAD to try my hand at painting these cute little buggers. So I took my trusty camera and took some photos of the geckos in their enclosures at work. They really are photogenic little things. So here's the first of a few anyways...



And if you want to see these little guys live, go here for info.

The Taste of One's Own Foot

There is a long history of blaming the president (past and present) for problems facing the country. It has become particularly nasty these days but it has also gotten EXTREMELY surreal and disjointed from reality. Michael Steele, the head of the Republican National Committee, the face of the party is a SUPERB example of this. I get that he has to oppose the current administration on, well, just about everything. It seems to be what they do these days. I would probably be less cynical about conservatism if every Republican advertisement for governor that I've seen recently (and good lord, there are a LOT of them these days) say that they are bound and determined to cut our taxes! With every teacher in the state either being furloughed or laid off, they are going to cut taxes. Okay, but quit wringing your dang hands when, for some reason, our schools are churning out woefully stupid kids. Just a thought...

Anyways, Michael Steele was caught on tape at some fundraiser, saying that the war in Afghanistan was a "war of Obama's choosing". Seriously. He didn't even giggle or smile when he said it. He may have actually been serious. The war in Afghanistan, the one that started in October of 2001, four years before Barack Obama was elected to the SENATE much less the presidency, is a war of his own choosing. Okay. Sure. Why not?

What led me to the cartoon was the fact that since this tape made it's way around, most Republicans have turned on their fearless leader and said he doesn't represent "their" Republican party. And seem like they would REALLY prefer it if he would, in fact, just shut up.



Weird. There ARE sometimes instances where politicians and I agree on something.

Happy 4th of July!

In honor of this great holiday, I give to you...a giraffe.



Nope, it has nothing to do with the holiday other than I finished it today.

But, my wife wanted a painting of a giraffe so I did one for her. This is a 4"x6" pen and ink and watercolor.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!