Jed Henry Illustration

It's been a while!

2012-01-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, blog friends. Sorry for the long hiatus. Here's a new illustration for your enjoyment.

Fully animated book trailer!

2011-10-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

You can watch it here!

Cheer Up, Mouse goes on sale a year from now, in fall, 2012. In the mean time, I made this trailer to advertise it.

Another sample from "Cheer Up, Mouse!"

2011-08-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

Discarded Sketch

2011-08-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hey, y'all!

This is a sketch that didn't make it into the final book. I still love it, so I'm posting it here. Maybe some day I'll paint it up for my own satisfaction. The big blank areas are for copyright information.

I'm finally figuring this stuff out...

2011-07-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

Friends! Exciting news. I figured out how to fake smudged pastels in photoshop. It sounds simple and silly, but it's a big deal for me. Here are some samples from a current project.

P.S. If any art directors are looking at this, please take note! I love doing cute little animals in clothes. The closer to Wind in the Willows, the better!

Cover for The Friend

2011-07-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

This is my submission for The Friend magazine. Let's hope they accept it!

I FINISHED THE BOOK!!!!

2011-07-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Writing books is hard work, friends. Take this one for instance. It's called I SPEAK DINOSAUR, and I've been working on it on and off since 2008. Ouch.

Anyway, here are some sample illustrations I just finished. I love this book, and I know you will too! It comes out fall, 2012, from Harry N. Abrams.

Gasp! I'm actually posting!

2011-07-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hi, fellow inter-nerds! It's been far too long since my last post. But I was up all night doing a sample illustration for a client, and it turned out pretty well, I think!

Here she is. Isn't that little chipmunk so CUTE?

Taking a Break.

2011-04-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

Someday, I will publish a series about these two.

Long Overdue Update

2011-04-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends!

I know it's been a long time since the last post -- a lot has happened in the past month.

I've been working nocturnally on "Cheer Up, Mouse!" Here's a sample image from the book. I hope you enjoy!

A NEW PICTURE BOOK DUMMY!

2011-03-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hey, friends! I think a lot of my ideas from the picture book marathon could be made into viable books. But you have to start somewhere, so I decided to do Let's Talk about Feelings first. Here is my first draft!

Please vote for your favorite picture book idea!

2011-03-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, friends! Thank you so much for your ideas and encouragement during February's Picture Book Marathon! I'm deeply interested to hear what books you liked best! Please take a second to vote for your favorites on the survey in the left column of the blog.

<----

If you have any specific remarks, please leave a comment! Thanks again!

Day 26 - I finished!

2011-02-28T23:14:00.000-08:00

Just some more cuteness to finish up the marathon.

Day 25

2011-02-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

As a kid, I always wondered what it'd be like to take old George Washington on a tour of his country. What would he think of the place?

Day 24 - the end is in sight!

2011-02-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

After seeing the crazy success of Fancy Nancy and the Pinkalicious series, I decided to dive into the saccharine pink pool of frosting myself.

Honestly, I have more fun drawing unicorns and dolphins than most things. They're almost as cool as dinosaurs.

Day 21, 22 & 23 - a triple feature!

2011-02-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

I'm playing catch-up to make it to the finish line, so today is a threefer.

First book:

In this book, a girl travels all over the world, and tries to bottle up the whole experience. Conversely, all that luggage just weighs her down in the end, and she has to choose between keeping all her junk, and going to have new adventures.

Second book:

I'm still trying to figure out a twist on trains. Kids love trains. Unfortunately, I might have gone a little too scary on this one.

My monster train is HIGHLY inspired by the Cat Bus from "My Neighbor Totoro".

Book 3

Yeah, this is more of a fun drawing than it is a book idea. :)

Day 21 - RARR!

2011-02-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

Tiger is a tame cat, down to his last stripe.
He eats his peas, and plays nice.
He takes naps and never fusses.

But every once in a while, he goes jungle-running, scramble-scratching, TIGER-WILD!

BOOK DEBUT!

2011-02-23T01:06:00.001-08:00

Hey, friends! The very fist book I ever illustrated, "Pick a Pup" came out yesterday!

I went and found it at the local book store, and it's GORGEOUS!

Check it out on Amazon!

Day 20

2011-02-23T00:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a bumpy couple days, and I've missed one more day than is allowed. For that, I apologize.

Back to work!

Here's a book with several appealing elements: Christmas, toys, trains, and candy! But what happens when mischievous mice try to ride the train too? I imagine it going a lot like The Nutcracker, only with less tights.

Day 19

2011-02-20T21:49:00.000-08:00

I illustrated a book a few years ago about how the Transcontinental Railroad was built, mostly by Chinese and Irish immigrants. It was fascinating to learn about the price these newcomers to America paid to create a life for themselves.

Rest Day!

2011-02-19T10:33:00.001-08:00

I'm technically allowed 2 rest days during the month of February. I declare today to be such a day.

Day 18, and a solid WTFreak

2011-02-18T02:48:00.001-08:00

I told you these last few miles would get messy! I guess I just wanted to draw a scary Russian cat pirate. Don't we all?

Day 17

2011-02-16T21:03:00.000-08:00

Day 17 - the picture book equivalent of Mile 17 in an actual marathon. This is where people start dropping in their own vomit. My graceful stride and my controlled breathing vanished miles ago. Now my goal is just to finish with as much dignity as I can muster!

Here's a fun idea to put some spring back in my step:

This boy's super power: SUPER WORDS!

COMPLIMENTS make even the grumpiest villains smile.

LONG SCIENTIFIC WORDS make my big sister's friends think I'm smarter than her! Even if you don't know any, just make them up. COAGULATE! INFERNAL COMBUSTION! GARBANZO!

Words like I'M SORRY can turn foes into allies.

ENDLESS QUESTIONS melt my parents brains into goo. Why is blue fire hotter than red fire? Why are there penguins at the South Pole, but not at the North Pole? Why can't dogs see color?

And don't forget, lots of PLEASE and THANK YOU.

Day 16

2011-02-16T00:58:00.000-08:00

Dr. Dog and Cat, M.D. use their scientific training to determine opposites.

They're still just as clueless as when they tried to pin down emotions.

Vote for my Brother's Band on RollingStone.com!

2011-02-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my brother is just their publicist and marketer. But this could be a huge break for all of them!

Give their music a listen, and rate it FIVE STARS, please! :)

Day 15, and I'm getting motivational

2011-02-15T01:59:00.000-08:00

"Fall seven times, get up eight" is an old Japanese adage.

Each page would show a different character trying something over and over, until he finally achieves his goal. Each attempt would be a fun new pose, with even greater hilarity and determination. Here are some ideas that I think would be fun:

A baby giraffe staggers around, learning to walk.
A chef furiously mixes ingredients to make the perfect dessert.
A clumsy bear splashes around after fish.
A girl crashes and crashes, and eventually learns to ride a unicycle.
A sumo wrestler keeps getting thrown around by bigger, meaner wrestlers, until he ultimately conquers.
A baby bird has a few tumbles before she can fly.
A toddler boy pees his pants until he's finally potty-certified.

The book would entertain, inspire, and teach counting all at the same time.

Day 14, and a taste of the absurd

2011-02-14T00:58:00.000-08:00

In this book Dr. Dog and Cat M.D. take us for a tour through the feelings of the heart. Unfortunately, they're pretty clueless, and don't really get the concept. They mistake feelings like itchy, lumpy, floppy and smelly for actual emotions.

However, the book's educational merit isn't totally lost! There is a third pet who, in response to his dimwitted friends' antics, experiences a broad range of real emotions.

C'mon - isn't this idea a hoot?

Day 13

2011-02-13T23:17:00.000-08:00

Today's post is a reworking of Day 1. I realized that fleas and dirty goats aren't a good fit for mainstream picture books, so I swapped them out for a bird and its crocodile.

Day 12 of the Picture Book Marathon

2011-02-12T00:30:00.000-08:00

Goldie-bot was zipping through the cosmos, when she decided to take a break. Venus was too hot, and Mars was too cold, but Earth was just right...

Day 11, and a little stumble...

2011-02-11T00:16:00.000-08:00

We're allowed 2 rest days during this month-long Marathon. My goal was to never take a rest day, but today was a little hectic, and I almost gave in.

Here's to biting off more than I can chew!

Day 10

2011-02-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Damsel in distress? Nay, sir! Damsel in armor! (cue power chord)

Day 9 of the Picture Book Marathon, and whew!

2011-02-08T22:19:00.000-08:00

I spent way too much time on this today, but I'm pleased with the results.

This is a very special book to me. It's about knowing where we come from, and being proud of our roots. Maybe some day I'll actually write it.

GRANDFATHER'S COURAGE, GRANDMOTHER'S HEART
by Jed Henry

My mother says I have eyes just like Great-Grandfather's, and I wonder, what else do we share?

My father says that when I sing, I sound just like Great-Grandmother, and I think, did we laugh the same, too?

If I met them, would we know the same songs?

What were they like when they were my age?

Could they run fast like me? Who would win if we raced?

Did they like playing games?

Did we like the same food?

Who were their great-grandparents? And their great-grandparents? And their great-grandparents?

Where did they come from?

...

Day 8

2011-02-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

It’s a very busy day.

No time for babies.

My bed needs to be made. (Jumping up and down, messing it up)
My pillows need fluffing.
And breakfast is getting cold - no time to chew!

Babies only slow me down.

Miss Bunny is having a party.
Mr. Bear wants to go out.
And Frog isn’t feeling well.

I’m very busy. Babies take too much time.

I have blocks to stack.
And unstack. And stack again.
And these books aren’t going to read themselves.

I’m very, very busy. Babies just don’t understand.

I need to say my ABCs.
I have to count to ten.
And tying shoes is harder than it looks!

I need my space!

My garden needs watering.
Fred needs feeding.
And Copper has been a naughty kitty.

Where did the baby go?

He looks really busy!
Let me show you how.
Good job!

You have so much to learn. I can teach you!
We’re going to be so busy.

Day 7:

2011-02-07T00:31:00.000-08:00

My two-year-old just discovered that she's TERRIFIED of dragons, and because she thinks they stalk our house, she spends her days in fear of attack. So I decided to play around with the topic of fear. One can't simply say, "I'm not going to be afraid," and have the fear vanish magically. Overcoming fear is a matter of managing it - taming it, if you will.

In this book, a little boy tames his pet monster, as a metaphor for taming fear.

I have a monster in my closet.
Some monsters are wild, but not mine.
He’s a tame monster.
He has lovely table manners.
And he’s such a gentleman!
Wee!
Woah!
Put me down!
No, monster!
BAD MONSTER!
Go to your closet!
Are you ready to be a good monster again?
I forgive you.
Now let’s play!
I love my monster.
He’s a good monster.

Day 6

2011-02-05T23:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wish for animal parts,
So I can do what they can.

If I had spines like a porcupine,
My brother would go away.

If I had skin like a chameleon,
I'd win at hide-and-seek.

If I had claws like a hawk,
I'd never drop the ball.

If I had armor like a lobster,
I wouldn't wear a helmet.

If I had a throat like a boa
I wouldn't chew my peas.

If I had eyes like an owl
I would not fear the dark.

If I had feathers like a mallard
rain couldn't get me wet.

If I had hair like a polar bear
I wouldn't need a coat.

If I could chirp like a chickadee
My song would be so sweet.

If I had a tail like a tamarin
I'd climb the tallest trees.

I wish I had all these animal parts -
What would it be like?

(He has all the different animal parts at once. He looks like a monstrous chimera. All his friends run from him.)

I guess I don't need animal parts.
I like the way I am.

Day 5, and I'm feeling good!

2011-02-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

A lot of picture book ideas are based on catchy titles or one-liners. It's a fail-proof way to hook your audience.

This book has no such appeal. If I ever develop the idea further, it'll need to stand on solid writing and illustration. I imagine something soft and lyrical, but a little wild as well.

Day 4 of the Picture Book Marathon

2011-02-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

Dandi Mackall once taught me that it really helps to start a story with:

1) A sympathetic character
2) A conflict that stands in the character's way

This book nails both of those, and we haven't even opened it yet!

Poor Bear. His clumsy claws keep him from doing all sorts of things. I think this book would be perfect for very young kids who struggle with things like eating with utensils, fastening buttons, or tying shoes.

Also, I shared a fun link with Julie Olson, a fellow picture book marathoner, so I should share it with everyone. It's from the amazing Rick Walton's website. It's a HUGE list of kid-related idea starters. Take a look! God bless Rick, for sharing this trove of lists!

Day 3

2011-02-02T22:21:00.001-08:00

Everyone's a critic. Few have actually earned the right.

Day 2

2011-02-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

Yet another telling of the classic "you're too little" story format.

Little Chicken-saurus isn't big enough to do any of the fun things big dinosaurs get to do. He can't eat trees. He can't smash boulders. He can't drink a whole lake. What kind of fun could there be for such a tiny dinosaur?

Book-a-Day (again, but this time for real!)

2011-01-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hey, friends! A bunch of my picture book buddies are doing a book-a-day marathon this month, and I figured that peer pressure is what I need to avoid January's fiasco.

So here's my first random book idea. (Emphasis on random.)

A cover concept for my new picture book.

2011-01-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

I recently sold I SPEAK DINOSAUR to a publisher, and I've been stressing about what illustration process to use. This is looking pretty good, I think.

Dino Doodles!

2011-01-04T01:44:00.000-08:00

These sketches are my tryouts to paint several highly accurate, scientific murals at the Museum of Natural History in New York. I took great care to adhere to the current theory that dinosaurs had googly eyes and cute, chubby proportions.

Ok, fine. They're for a kids' book.

While doing the research for these sketches, I discovered my new favorite dinosaur, and the name of my next child: Pachyrhinosaurus!

SEE IT HERE!

Nohea's Christmas Present

2011-01-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

My daughter got a toy stroller for Christmas, which she promptly wanted to use outside. The only problem was the snow.

Picture Book Idea #9

2010-12-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Picture Book Tryouts

2010-12-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

If today's book idea was your only reason for getting out of bed this morning, you can go back to sleep now. Yesterday was a little hectic, and I had to prioritize things like doing laundry, and playing with my toddler.

But I still have a fun sketch for you guys!

Lets' talk a little about tryouts. After high school ended, I figured my days of trying out (and getting picked last) were over.

But not so! As an illustrator, I've had to try out for every single job I've ever gotten. Because I'm new, publishers need to know exactly what they're getting for their money. So they ask me to do some initial samples before sending a contract.

These sketches are from a tryout I did back in April. Enjoy!

Bonus Sketch!

2010-12-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

I went on a walk with my two-year-old daughter today. It was her first time walking in fresh snow, and it was so cute that I had to grab my sketchbook.

Picture Book Idea #8

2010-12-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure what this story is about. One possibility: an adaptation of Town Mouse and Country Mouse - where two adventurous kids go exploring in each others' lands, only to discover they miss their own homes.

Picture Book Idea #7

2010-12-14T23:12:00.000-08:00

These are just getting stranger and stranger...

Picture Book Idea #6

2010-12-14T02:48:00.000-08:00

What could be worse than hand-me-down armor?

Picture Book Idea #5

2010-12-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

A cautionary tale:

When Ruthie doesn't get what she wants, she tries throwing a fit - just a little one at first. It screams, and it squawks, and it scampers around the house. And Ruthie gets what she wants.

She starts throwing bigger and bigger fits. Whiny crybaby fits and roaring door-slamming fits. No-bones floppy fits, and all-teeth angry fits. She has a fit for every occasion.

Little by little, the fits grow wild. They argue with everyone. They snarl, and they growl. Ruthie knows she has to stop throwing the fits, but it's too late. The fits start throwing Ruthie!

How is the going to get rid of them?

Saturday Bonus Sketch!

2010-12-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

My wife and I went and watched our friends' kids' soccer game last night. A bunch of 4-year-olds chasing a ball is golden sketch fodder.

I'm pretty proud of these.

Daily Picture Book Idea #4

2010-12-10T00:08:00.000-08:00

The world needs more books about flying magic dogs.

Daily Picture Book Idea #3

2010-12-09T00:32:00.000-08:00

This is mostly just a concept, but I think it could be soft, lyrical, and transporting for children as they nod off to sleep.

Every page turn would reveal a new place, and show what people are doing as America's kids nod off to sleep. French bakers waking up early to begin their day's work. Saudi Arabian Muslims performing their morning prayers. Children heading to school in India, and taking lunch break in Korea. In Samoa, children leave school for afternoon homework or activities.

If done right, I think it could be very soothing. If done wrong, it could confuse kids.

Good night, sleep tight.

Daily Picture Book Idea #2

2010-12-07T23:34:00.001-08:00

When we need a dose of swashbuckling action, but we're sick of pirates, where can we turn? VIKINGS!

Here's my current plot for the book:

A boy needs a break from his kindergarten class, but he's out of sick days, there's no chance of a snow day, and President's Day is weeks away. So he writes a letter to some Vikings, and asks them to come disrupt things.

Unfortunately, the Vikings discover that they LOVE kindergarten. Music time, art time, reading time - they've never had so much structure in their lives! And there's even a nap time!

The boy either has to get rid of the Vikings, or stop class himself. He isn't counting on a third possibility: that he might learn to like kindergarten as much as the Vikings.

Copyright Jed Henry blah, blah, blah. Anyone who rips this off will have a longboat of Vikings to answer to. :)

One Book Idea Per Day!

2010-12-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

Apparently, November was National Picture Book Idea Month in the kid lit world. I totally missed it. So I'm going to be posting my own ideas for the next month. Until January 7, I'll be posting a new picture book idea every day.

Here's my first entry, a sequel to WOLF BOY SLEEPS OVER.

P.S. - Now that we all know Wolf Boy, do you have any antics you'd like to see him perform in this new academic setting? I'm open to suggestions, since the book isn't actually written yet. :)

(You can scroll down a couple posts to see the full dummy of WOLF BOY SLEEPS OVER.)

The Night Light

2010-12-02T20:46:00.001-08:00

Here's a sketch of the Night Light.

The Night Light

2010-12-01T08:29:00.001-08:00

This is a very different type of book, compared to Wolf Boy. It has a very special place in my heart.

A Prototype for Midge and Sprout: Midge and Grandy

2010-11-30T21:08:00.000-08:00

I've been writing about fairies for almost a year now. Much longer than any grown man should, probably. Way back in March, I wrote this poem. I realized Midge was a keeper, but I should swap Grandy out for a different character, and that's when Sprout was born.

In picture books, anything in meter is a hard sell. So this little poem will probably never see the light of day. I'm still proud it, though.

Midge and Grandy

Midge loved to skitter-scamp through the trees,
and flip-flop with hoppers,
and tumble with bumbles,
glint and glimmer on the breeze.
Roaming, rambling,
briar brambling,
everyday, wherever she pleased.

But today Midge was silent, sitting alone,
garden-gate watching,
hoping and waiting
for Great, Great Grandy-lion to visit her home.
Sweet-tooth candy-lion,
fix-it handy-lion,
soon would be here, happy old gnome.

Midge drowsy-dreamed of the games they'd play -
swimming with ribbits
and pond polly-woggles.
Flip and flitter all the day.
Eating jam-raspies and tickling spikkles
Grandy, come soon, she hoped and prayed.

But when Great, Great Grandy-lion finally came,
he slumped on a stump,
and whittled a twig -
wild old sprite now tired and tame.
Bow-bent banty-lion,
Achy, shaky shanty-lion,
wrinkled and crinkled, not the same.

Climbing on Grandy, Midge started to plead,
Let's fly with the flutters,
and swing with the swoops,
get muddy and mossy, and lost in the weeds!
Holly-tree thumping,
mushy-room jumping,
mulberry mustaches, sunflower seeds!

But Great, Great Grandy-lion came a long way,
and his back was bowed,
and his knees did creak –
teetering, tottering, stagger and sway.
Slowly easing,
windy wheezing,
weary old gnome, so grizzled and gray.

(Illustration: Midge sits disappointed, her plans ruined. Grandy notices her sadness.)

Then Grandy sat up, and began to recite
wild-eyed stories
of long-ago glories,
when he was a midge, a wee little sprite.
Light-haired sandy-lion,
clean-cut dandy-lion -
out for adventure, bold and bright!

(Illustration: Grandy gets more and more animated as he tells his story.)

Once-upon-times of back-in-the-day,
wrestling worm-teeth,
and battling beasts,
seeking out danger, predator's prey.
Badgers and bounders,
skinners and skulkers -
never once losing, never, no nay!

(Illustration: Grandy is now up on his feet, gesturing energetically, forgetting his age.)

Then Grandy and Midge, as spry as sprouts,
stoutly striding,
glassy gliding,
jumped from the stump, and skittered out
to fly with the flutters,
and swing with the swoops,
get muddy and mossy, and scumble about.

They played all the games from Midge's dream -
holly-tree thumping,
and mushy-room jumping,
mulberry mustaches, buttercup cream.
Badgers and bounders,
skinners and skulkers -
spied them all, but never seen.

They lay on the stump in a giggly heap,
Midge snuggling,
Grandy huggling -
hearing the first of the crickets' chir-eep.
Tummies grumbling,
homeward stumbling,
Midge curled up, already asleep.

Wolf Boy Sleeps Over

2010-11-30T06:28:00.001-08:00

I combined all the previous posts, and put them all in one place.

2010-11-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

2010-11-14T22:58:00.000-08:00

2010-11-11T23:12:00.000-08:00

Pleased to meet you.

2010-11-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

All the fairy sketches up till new were a brainstorming exercise. The result is this pair: Midge and Sprout. My hope is to base a picture book around them.

Gray and Rainy

2010-11-10T04:03:00.000-08:00

This time I'm just posting a digital sketch. I tried painting it up in watercolor, but all those subtle little layers were just too much for me. Maybe I'll try again another day!

A Big Wet Kiss

2010-11-08T23:21:00.000-08:00

In my reality, fairies are real, and toads have lips. So there.

Oof!

2010-11-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

Leapfrog

2010-11-04T22:42:00.001-07:00

A Duel

2010-11-03T22:41:00.001-07:00

Birthday Party

2010-11-02T13:59:00.001-07:00

Happy Viking Day

2010-08-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Sketches from Japan

2010-07-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sketches from vacation. Watercolors are fun.

My life is an Asian fantasy.

2010-07-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll notice that I'm obsessed with Asia, even if it's a fantasy Asia that doesn't exist. I'm pretty sure we all have a little fantasy mixed into our image of Asia. It's healthy.

Okay, no - no it's not healthy.

Pick a Pup (Go ahead. I dare you.)

2010-04-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

These are select illustrations from MY FIRST PICTURE BOOK EVER!!!
It'll be on bookstore shelves in Spring of 2011. Yep. A year from now.

By the way, did you know that I like to draw cute things?

One of These Things Is Not Like the Others

2010-04-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a first draft of character designs I'm cooking up for a comic book. I like how simple everything looks.

The Buddha, Enlightened

2010-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Beneath the Bodhi Tree

2010-01-15T02:02:00.000-08:00

I like the Buddha's origin story. He was once a sheltered prince, but when he saw all the suffering in the world, he determined to conquer it, and teach others how to as well. He finally learned that to conquer suffering, one had to let go of greed and desire. No greed = no suffering. At least, that's my limited understanding of the story.

Nupastel / Digital Doodle

2009-12-15T07:33:00.000-08:00

I love this little guy.

More Baby

2009-11-28T07:26:00.000-08:00

Some dog sketches

2009-11-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

Loose.

My Little Girl

2009-11-07T17:31:00.000-08:00

Nohea's not this big yet, but I think it's a fair guess at what she'll look like in a few months.

That's right. In a few months, she'll be a cartoon.

Ah, Photoshop. You keep me from learning how to do real art.

2009-11-03T23:57:00.000-08:00

This girl is loving her new grundies.

More Sparrow Illustrations

2009-10-29T07:36:00.001-07:00

I roughed up the edges a bit, to make 'em look more print-tastic. The effect works out okay, I think.

The Tongue-Cut Sparrow

2009-10-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

September Sketching

2009-09-28T00:22:00.001-07:00

My goal was to do a sketch every day this month. In reality, I only did about ten. Here are some of the better ones.

And then this last image is a sketch I did in Japan last year. I'm just posting it to remember fond old memories. Forgive me for using this blog as a forum for such nonsense. :)

Vollyball

2009-09-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

My wife coaches a high school volleyball team.

Foliage

2009-07-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

Raar!

2009-07-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

More cute stuff

2009-07-15T17:34:00.001-07:00

I like cute things.

2009-07-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

I wish I were in Japan

2009-07-13T09:50:00.001-07:00

I know it's escapist and shallow, but I think I'd be happier if I were in Japan right now. :)

This is a sketch from last year's trip to Tokyo. Sleeping people are mercifully still subjects for sketching.

Illustration for a Book

2009-07-10T08:50:00.003-07:00

Dragon Suits

2009-06-28T20:23:00.001-07:00

Another Fake Woodblock in Photoshop

2009-06-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

Viikingit

2009-06-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

Just some doodles of Vikings.

Sketches from Hawaii

2009-06-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Hawaii. It's always refreshing to sketch in a completely different environment. Especially if that environment is paradise.

The Kid

2009-05-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

She's cute.

Doodle

2009-05-14T07:44:00.001-07:00

My baby girl

2009-05-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

She's cute.

Experimenting

2009-04-20T14:33:00.001-07:00

This ain't exactly a good drawing, but I just wanted to play with some media process stuff, after the strong suggestion of my good friend Jake.

My childhood wish... as long as they didn't eat me.

2009-04-17T12:45:00.001-07:00

Jed Henry Illustration

It's been a while!

Fully animated book trailer!

Another sample from "Cheer Up, Mouse!"

Discarded Sketch

I'm finally figuring this stuff out...

Cover for The Friend

I FINISHED THE BOOK!!!!

*Gasp!* I'm actually posting!

Taking a Break.

Long Overdue Update

A NEW PICTURE BOOK DUMMY!

Please vote for your favorite picture book idea!

Day 26 - I finished!

Day 25

Day 24 - the end is in sight!

Day 21, 22 & 23 - a triple feature!

Day 21 - RARR!

BOOK DEBUT!

Day 20

Day 19

Rest Day!

Day 18, and a solid WTFreak

Day 17

Day 16

Vote for my Brother's Band on RollingStone.com!

Day 15, and I'm getting motivational

Day 14, and a taste of the absurd

Day 13

Day 12 of the Picture Book Marathon

Day 11, and a little stumble...

Day 10

Day 9 of the Picture Book Marathon, and whew!

Day 8

Day 7:

Day 6

Day 5, and I'm feeling good!

Day 4 of the Picture Book Marathon

Day 3

Day 2

Book-a-Day (again, but this time for real!)

A cover concept for my new picture book.

Dino Doodles!

Nohea's Christmas Present

Picture Book Idea #9

Picture Book Tryouts

Bonus Sketch!

Picture Book Idea #8

Picture Book Idea #7

Picture Book Idea #6

Picture Book Idea #5

Saturday Bonus Sketch!

Daily Picture Book Idea #4

Daily Picture Book Idea #3

Daily Picture Book Idea #2

One Book Idea Per Day!

The Night Light

The Night Light

A Prototype for Midge and Sprout: Midge and Grandy

Wolf Boy Sleeps Over

Pleased to meet you.

Gray and Rainy

A Big Wet Kiss

Oof!

Leapfrog

A Duel

Birthday Party

Happy Viking Day

Sketches from Japan

My life is an Asian fantasy.

Pick a Pup (Go ahead. I dare you.)

One of These Things Is Not Like the Others

The Buddha, Enlightened

Beneath the Bodhi Tree

Nupastel / Digital Doodle

More Baby

Some dog sketches

My Little Girl

Ah, Photoshop. You keep me from learning how to do real art.

More Sparrow Illustrations

Gasp! I'm actually posting!