Christmas Border or Christmas Bore

For those of you who didn't know, I wrote a short children's book about Christmas Time. It was an idea I had back when I was teaching the week before Christmas and two of my kids were on the verge or running wild. At any rate, I will probably work on little parts of the book over this year... So here are the first two pieces I illustrated for the border of the book. If you like them you can use the for post cards in T-minus 10 months.

"twas the week border"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

ABBA's

Here is the Dancing Queen. Though she looks to be more around age 8 than 17.

"dancing queen"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

Michael's Fifth

Here is my image of Young Beethoven sitting down to breakfast. As he scoops the oatmeal he hears the tinging of the metal on the bowl. He gets an idea for a song... The rest is history...

(And yes, he looks like Miss Muffet, they are in the same pose.)

"silly symphony"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

A merry old soul...

Why is this guy considered so merry? I mean, he keeps calling for things to be brought to him. Is that merry? I think not...

"king cole"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

What a good boy am I...

Farah says this looks like one of my students, though I do not put kids in corners. But here it is...

"Jack Horner"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

Had a great fall...

I saw a "news" item on Yahoo! this weekend, that Humpty Dumpty was not considered to be an egg until the infamous Lewis Carol's illustrator illustrated him as an egg. I have to say it would make me sad if Humpty were some other item such as a tea cup, or a plater or plate (I don't understand the question, and I refuse to answer).

"Dumpty Humpty"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

Along came a spider...

This is the first of my series of Nursery Rhymes in color. You may recall my blue period where I drew a picture of The Cat and Fiddle... So here is the color editions of some classics.

"The Muff"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

Gadzooks!

I like little today sidekicks. And so should you!

“egor”
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

Make it Work

This picture shows the silliness of our little town. All four of these ladies are dressed for the month of February.

"in season"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa with the olympics on in the background

Monster Monday

I drew this last night while sitting on the sofa. For some reason I kept thinking about October and Halloween. I guess I am just wishing it would be fall. I love the fall, and I don't like the heat. So, even though it is winter it feels like it is the dead end of summer. Hot... 81 degrees outside.

So here is my wish for autumn winds to return... Hey, I'd settle for winter winds coupled with some creepy little creepers.

"monsters un-incorporated"
markers on computer paper
on the sofa

mariah comparisons welcome

Someday these may hang in a nursery... Not for another 10 months at least.

"butterfly"
marker on computer paper
in front of the tv

beautiful

This is about having a standard for making something beautiful.

"standards"
pencil on drawing paper
at moody brews



happy valentine's day you beauties

of the world...

BTW you can click on all of the images to make them larger.

This one is about our crazy world and all of its crazy ideas.

"upside down"
pencil on drawing paper
in starbucks

little boy red

I just discovered this guy from the archives.

Enjoy.

connecting

This is a picture all about how connected and disconnected we are as a society.

"connected"
pencil on drawing paper
on a sidewalk chair and table set

the cass

This is a picture I did of the Cass when she was 2 years old and Toey was just a womb-rider. I was sitting in the condo at Tahoe and she appeared-- She came out covered in jewels from the Suz. She was really cute, but it was that moment I realized she was growing up. I thought! Oh no! She'll have to grow up and deal with all the materialism of this world. Then I remembered all the wonderful things she loved in the world, and though... Oh well. We all go through it, and she has some pretty good things around her. So I made a picture where she is bombarded by a bunch of stuff.

"welcome to your world"
pencil on drawing paper
at my desk in the nest

Allergies

I have them. But that doesn't make the drawings any less lovely.

"pine"
pencil on drawing paper
in front of some pines at tahoe

Scanner Lightly

Ug. This scanner does not want to scan pencil lines. I am having a hard time getting this thing to cooperate. So the next few posts may be a little light. Sorry. But I don't have a good enough scanner to scan my pencil sketchings. Oh well...

Enjoy-ish. Long live, the boy who lived!

"firenze"
pencil on drawing paper
on the water's edge at tahoe

5 days late...

No, not Farah you nosy neighbors. I was. I am 5 days late on finishing Exodus. But I did it.

It was a much better book as compared to Genesis. I have to say I get really annoyed with all of the underhanded dealings going on in Genesis... Though we haven't come far from our starting point.

Exodus was great to see the relationship between Moses and God...


It was challenging to look at God's relationship with Pharaoh...


It rang true to see the people forgot about Moses when he went on the mount... I think people still do this...


But I am still wondering about those magicians...


At any rate Leviticus awaits me... My goal is to finish it in the next two weeks. I think as a reward I will rent Prince of Egypt.



P.S. Do any of the Shaws remember going to see this with Mr. Kiniry and the girls? I do! :-)

health and wellness

Again, these are not great works. I only did them in less than 5 minutes so the kids wouldn't be restless watching the technique. But I am running out of doodles here people. I have a stock of some I need to scan, so until then you get stuck with doodles that aren't very good.

Enjoy-or-Not.

"vitamin c-ezanne"
oil pastels on construction paper
in front of my class, on the ELMO

Friday

Well, I was on a great date with my wife. Therefore I didn't post anything. But it was worth it. So here is my not-so great O'Keefe.

"Oh Key F?"
colored pencils on construction paper
in front of my class, on the ELMO

Matisse's Second

Here is another piece of artwork I did in front of my class. It is suppose to symbolize new life after a rain. Imagine a little robin chick has just hatched and is starting her new life.

"drip, drop, chick, chick"
construction paper on construction paper
in front of my class, on the ELMO

Yesterday's

Here is the post I should have posted yesterday. It is the portrait I made to show a happier version of Picasso's distressed woman painting. My class all made her, they did better than I did. I think I may post some of their work here in a few

"I win!"
marker on cardstock
in front of my class, on the ELMO

Angry Christmas

I have this little voice I use during the Holiday Season. He is the Christmas Mouse, but I imagined him trying out for American Idol and being rejected (not everyone gets a mouse who whispers parts of songs instead of singing them). Alas, I think he would be rather grumpy after being rejected by Simon and whoever is now judging/criticizing America's hopefuls.

"grumpy grumperton"
marker on computer paper
on the sofa

Guess Who?

This is my real self portrait. Enjoy.

"do, re, ME"
marker on computer paper
at my desk