IF - Slither featuring Lake Monster Illustration

This is a case where I actually had something pretty much ready to go for Illustration Friday. Recently I did up several vector illustration versions of a lake monster for a college mascot design. I took one of the concepts (since they're not using it) and added it to a textured background to spice it up to post for this week's word - Slither!

Klamor Clam Character Illustration

This is just my latest character illustration. It's a masthead mascot for a newsletter project, although it may not even get used. Sometimes I just like to run with the idea. It's a clam!

Rat Illustration for Deep Dark Dank Flash Game - IF Focused

I did up this this quick highlight illustration to show of my Rat Character, one of the enemies in my latest Flash Game project in progress, who will be very FOCUSED on eating your player character.

I still have a bit more to do (actually quite a bit more), but I'm staying persistent and continuing to make progress. So in a way I'm FOCUSED as well. So this works also as an entry for this week's Illustration Friday word.

New Illustration - Spaulding Sparrows

My newest illustration was done as a favor for a friend of mine who's the coach for a local little league. He wanted to have a fun new logo/mascot for their team.

Just another good excuse to bring a character illustration and design to life through vector art.

IF - Hatch

Currently I am working on a new casual Flash Game project. It's an 'Escape-from-a-Maze-of-Sewers' type of game. The idea is to create a short (in levels) game with most of the focus on gameplay, atmosphere and art design. Right now I'm working on designing the levels, creating all the needed textured backgrounds and art style and even a few of the illustrated characters that will appear in the game. As with most games, simple ideas become much more elaborate once you start building the assets. Even for this small 3-level game there is a lot of art to do.

This week's theme is 'Hatch'. Since I just finished my alligator illustration a day ago, I wanted to find a way to use it for IF. My first thought was 'Down the Hatch', especially since I just drew out my fabulous storm drain element.

Here is a mock screenshot from the upcoming game. The rest of the details of the project are top-secret. (since it's still in development).

Stay tuned...

Beyond The Never Illustration - IF Skinny

Last month I finished a Flash game for 'JayisGames' Casual Gameplay Design Competition #6: Theme Explore. My game is titled 'Beyond The Never.' While I have designed and programmed a few different little game experiments, This was my first real attempt at something more. It turned out quite well, although I still have some tweaks to really make it shine as a playable experience. It is currently featured at the link above.

In the process of designing the game art, I illustrated several characters. One of them is tall and skinny, so I thought it would work perfectly for this week's IF illustration. I added a few more of my original characters to the game's title screen to complete this image.

Check out my artwork and my game, Beyond The Never!

Techknowledge Owl Mascot

At MMCC, we have a new Technology and Learning Center that provides instructional and technology training for faculty wanting to improve their use of media in their classes, both online and traditional. In order to promote this training lab, we're doing a branding campaign. It's my job to come up with some of the marketing materials and design. This includes a new mascot.

Here is the character I illustrated, our new Techknowledge owl.

IF - Caution

As luck would have it, my current project is a caution-themed video game that I'm working on. It's a platform-style game where, as the main character, you have to escape from a factory filled with dangerous, obstacles, and challenging levels. So far I've illustrated most of the various parts and I'm working on building and coding the levels. It's a Flash game, programmed in AS3. The plan is to have over 30 levels. I've got the first three done so far.
So for this week illustration, I thought I would showcase my main character and a screenshot from the actual game.


Until, I release the game, I have to keep the title a secret, but I would love some help with the main characters name. Right now I'm referring to him as 'Sal' since 'Mario' is taken, but I'm open to any comments and suggestions.

MMCC Laker Mascot Illustration

I had some 'Idle' time this week, so I worked on illustrating for an upcoming project at the college that I'm currently doing graphic design for. MMCC - Mid Michigan Community College in Michigan, is exploring creating a new mascot for the school's athletic teams. Since they're the 'Lakers,' they are thinking of using a sea monster.

Being a designer and illustrator, I knew I had to throw something on the table. I am working on a few ideas. Here is the one I like the best so far.

Baby Bigfoot T-Shirts

Just started building my store featuring my original characters and designs. I have to find a way to support my art and this seems like a win-win arrangement.
You can purchase this T-shirt design at my Zazzle store. I will be adding to it as I go along and incorporating the work into my main Bunnygo store.

IF - Theater

I did a quick illustration this week just to get in on Illustration Friday. The theme as you probably guessed is 'Theater'. I chose to do some Comedy & Tragedy Masks.

Spider Illustration - Monday Artday

I finished my 'Spider' Illustration for Monday Artday. I really challenged myself on this one. I'm trying to create more complete scenes including the main subject, secondary characters, background elements, lighting etc. I also tried to do a more painterly-style as well instead of my usual vector art. It was much harder and more frustrating to move out of my comfort zone. I'm happy with the result but I need more practice with this type of illustration.

Let me know what you like or (even what you don't).

IF - Impossibility SPACE WHALE

Here is my latest illustration for Illustration Friday. The theme is 'Impossibility'. What could be more impossible than an intergalactic space-traveling whale?

I'm really trying to work on illustrating complete scenes rather than just my characters. I hope you enjoy this.

Mini Whale

I was inspired to create this illustration using my whale character by a poem (Mini Whale) by Carrie Heyes. You can view her reading the poem in this video clip. I think they go well together.

IF - Talisman Illustration

This is my latest illustration for Illustration Friday. This week's theme is 'Talisman'. I was quite excited this week when I heard the theme, it conjured up several possible images. I sketched out one that I really liked. Below is the original sketch. Normally I do my illustrations using the scanned sketch as a guide, but this time I didn't have it with me so I created the artwork from the memory. I also did most of the artwork in Photoshop instead of Illustrator. I'm really happy with the results.