Illustrator
My mother went on a trip to Ireland last summer and came back with a stack of amazing landscape photos. I love the big stormy skies of Ireland and the U.K. And they certainly don’t call it the Emerald Isle for no reason. And the ruins are pretty cool too.
Recently I illustrated a little book about sheep called Shepherd in Residence by Elizabeth Creith. I did the cover illustration and book design, as well as interior illustrations. I had never really drawn sheep before (at least, not this many) but these were a lot of fun.
Pick up a copy of the book on Amazon and Indigo.
Cover for Shepherd in Residence
Interior illustration. Yes, that’s a crow perched on a sheep.
This poor sheep was stranded on a ledge near a dam. Interior illustration
Sheep having their dinner. Interior illustration
Back jacket design, also by me.
Printed interior illustration
Joel and I recently spent my 30th birthday on Mackinac Island, in northern Michigan. This island is a very special place, because it is completely car-free (only horses and bicycles ride on the roads) and has been since the 19th century, when the island became a popular Victorian resort destination. Everything on the island is ridiculously picturesque. The Victorian summer houses are massive, beautiful buildings.
Joel and I toured around on our bikes, ate great food, drank nice beer, sketched and generally had an amazing time. Mackinac, we shall be back.
The governor’s summer residence
Sketch of Fort Mackinac
Here is a selection of photos from the trip:
I wish somebody would pay me to draw tragic Victorian ladies for the rest of my life. Yes? Any takers?
Realms of Fantasy has kicked the bucket now for the second time. I feel sad about this, but at the same time the past year has sort of slowly weaned me off the magazine due to the lackluster design and the so-so stories.
One day in 1994 (when I was 12) my dad came home with an issue of Realms, a fantasy short story magazine, and dazzled by the amazing illustrations and really cool fantasy stories I’ve been reading it ever since. I credit this magazine for introducing illustration to me as an art form and introducing me to some of my favourite contemporary illustrators (Alan Lee, Brian Froud, Kinuko Craft, John Howe, Yvonne Gilbert and so many more).
I became interested in folklore solely because of Terri Windling’s Folkroots column which was always so interesting and featured so many classic illustrations from the great Golden Age illustrators (Rackham, Dulac, Nielsen, etc.), and have incorporated folkloric themes into my own art since then.
Well Realms, it’s been a great 16 years and you’ve been a major player in my artistic development. I’m sad that I’ll never get to illustrate a story for you, but I will treasure every issue I’ve collected (or should I say that my dad has bought me) since 1994.
Here is a collection of my favourite covers:
My first ever issue
I copied this cover when I was 13 in pencil crayon.
Love this cover by Kinuko Craft
