Book sketch and J.I.G.T.R.T.D.H.F.

This was the drawing I did in the inside front cover of an ARC of Laini's upcoming DREAMDARK novel "Silksinger" for the winner of the online benefit auction for our friend Bridget Zinn. The organizers of this particular event have done amazing work in helping Bridget with her medical costs. What awesome people to have organized something like that. I'm humbled to have been able to help even just a little.

And lastly, today is the last day before "J.I.G.T.R.T.D.H.F." (or, more long-windedly: "Jim is going to refinish the downstairs hardwood floors"). I'll try to remember to take some pics as it all happens. Wish me luck internet!

What's this? A post?

So I've been a bad blogger of late, and I'm going to try and be better, but we'll see how impending fatherhood (WOOHOO!) treats me and my hit-or-miss blogging habits. Since giving this interview to the so very nice Shelli Wells earlier this month, I've been trying to kick myself into gear in regards to blogging. I mean, I kind of made a pledge there to the Blog-gods, and I don't need their vengeful ways hunting me down, so here we go.

Before I get into what I've been up to, I should note that the above painting is the kind of stuff I'm going to try and do a bit more of as a warm-up (**EDIT: I should correct that and call it an "exercise" or "practice piece" rather than a warm-up. While this didn't take me hours and hours or anything, it didn't fly off in a few minutes either**), and also to keep my traditional-media chops intact. There's definitely a different sort of "reward" feeling (for me at least) in doing a piece completely by hand instead of with digital aid. So anyhow, I'll be trying to do more of this kind of piece for myself and my blog in the coming weeks.

As for what I've been up to, Laini and I had the AMAZING honor of attending the annual BEA (Book Expo America) convention in New York late last month to promote some buzz for our upcoming book with Arthur A. Levine Books (a division of Scholastic) entitled LIPS TOUCH: Three Times. Here we are with (the too nice to be real!) Arthur Levine himself in the Scholastic booth with my cover illuminated (which was a thrill to see!)


We had a fantastic time visiting the offices of Penguin/Putnam, Scholastic, Scholastic Educational, and Simon and Schuster. It was really a day the likes of which I'd dreamed of earlier in my career and almost had to pinch myself as we went from place to place meeting everyone involved with various projects that I've been a part of both with Laini and on my own. Here are a few pics from those visits and NY in general:










and last but certainly not least, a pic of me with my mother, sister, and 2 (beautiful!) nieces when we were visiting them in CA (thanks for dog-sitting Mama! xoxo:)


Now if the small house-remodeling that we're having done (and me re-finishing our hardwood floors later this week! Woohoo!) doesn't distract and absorb all of my time, I'll be posting once again very soon.

Book covers and a website update

A snapshot of some of the book covers I've done for various publishers. LIPS TOUCH, The DRAGON'S PEARL, and SILKSINGER are all advance reader's copies (ARCs) and therefore in paperback form for now. Once I get hardcovers in the coming months as their release dates approach I'll probably put pics of them up as well.

Also, I did a small website update and plan to do a much larger one in the coming months once I'm given the OK by the publishers to show more of my recent work.

LIPS TOUCH cover artwork

I won't be able to show the interior artwork until the book sees publication (October 1st), but here's the cover. For a great, more in-depth post about the creation of the book, check out Laini's blog entry here. We are very excited about 2009 for many reasons and this book being released is among the the top things we're feeling lucky and proud about. Collaborating on an illustrated novel has been something we've dreamed about since we were dating in art school. Thank you to Arthur Levine for helping us see this through and for pushing us to think about an illustrated book in new and unique ways.

Art catch-up (a little at least) and Project Book Babe

Here are some recent cropped portions of art for a couple different projects that I've been working on. The two fantasy clippings are from Laini's upcoming Penguin/Putnam DREAMDARK sequel out in September entitled "DREAMDARK: SILKSINGER" (the cover to which is over in my side blog column). The pencils are from an upcoming (creepy!) project for Scholastic's educational department. More on this project as it (quickly!) progresses.

And lastly, here is an ink sketch I did for a donated ARC of Laini's and my upcoming illustrated teen novel (published by Arthur A. Levine Books) entitled LIPS TOUCH. This ARC -- as well as a sketched-in copy of the first DREAMDARK harcover and a SILKSINGER (ARC) -- is all going to be auctioned off for the "Project Book Babe" fundraiser that Laini and a BUNCH of other talented authors contributed to (the main event of which happened last weekend, but the auctioned items will be available over the coming week or more). It was a HUGELY successful event for a great cause. Cheers to all those involved and (of course!) to Faith, for whom this event was created to benefit.

Dave McKean interview

(*image borrowed from the 7-Imp blog interview*)
I was flattered to be asked by Jules of the AMAZING blog "Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast" to give a hand in her interview with one of my all-time favorite artists, Dave McKean. Make no mistake, I contributed at most .0025% of the overall work involved, while Jules and Eisha (also of the aforementioned blog) did the rest along with an assist by Farida Dowler. It's an amazing interview that's both inspiring and laugh-out-loud funny at times and it's PACKED with a TON of Mr. McKean's art. This guy is creative down to the bone.

Thanks...

...Stephanie, for the cool superhero generator link!

After choosing different features and colors from the plethora of choices, it creates the finished version and adds a name to your creation. This is what mine looked like when I was done: