Usagi Yojimbo

This painting is my contribution to the Comic Art Professional Society's fundraising efforts to help out Stan Sakai's and his family. Stan Sakai is the creator, writer and artist of the one and only comic I read, Usagi Yojimbo.

I cannot overemphasize how much Stan Sakai's creation has affected my life. I proudly own every single UY graphic novel. Despite the fact that my style and subject matter is quite different from his, I strive to follow his example.

Stan Sakai is an exemplar of what we all strive to be: a creative artist and professional who has fed his family, bought his own home, sent his own kids to college, all through his own creations. He is legendary for never having missed a deadline, despite being responsible for EVERY part of the UY comic (right down to the lettering!) since 1986. 1986!!!!! His stories are still fresh and original even after 27 years. Usagi Yojimbo derives its quite power through well developed characters, great plots with tons of twists, lots of funny points and Stan Sakai's untiring enthusiasm and iron discipline.

Right now the Sakai family is going through a grave medical crisis that is not covered under their insurance. The expenses are considerable. This watercolor painting will be donated to a CAPS auction to raise money for the Sakai family. I am very proud of this piece, but I will gladly give it up, for it is a poor thank you compared to how much Stan Sakai's work has moved me.

If you are a creator who has even once read UY, I ask you.....no, I implore, demand and beg you to please consider helping out.

Watercolor Pencils

I discovered watercolor pencils recently and I'm loving them.

EVE sits on my office desk and keeps me company.

At Barnes and Noble.

B-17 Fighting Fortress

I went to an air show this past weekend where vintage WWII aircraft were on display. Here's a watercolor sketch done on site of the B-17. The light rain certainly made things a bit more interesting.

Pachyderm Madness!

Seems I've been on an elephant kick lately. And why not? Our friends from the mighty order Proboscidea rank as some of the largest, more awe inspiring land mammals to have ever lived.



So first off is this on site painting I did at the Field Museum in Chicago, which I had the good fortune of visiting for the New Year (hi Kat!!!). This is Loxodonta africana, the African Bush Elephant, the largest living land animal on the Earth today. It measures in at around 20-24 feet in length, 10-11 feet at the shoulder and weighs in at a scale bending 7-10 tons. African elephants sport large tusks, both in males and females. They are a remarkably intelligent species, showing advanced skills in reasoning, learning and memory. Females band together, living in matriarchal herds. Males leave the herd after adolescence, grouping into bachelor herds, and then striking out on their own at full adulthood. African Elephants rank as 'near threatened' according to the IUCN. It won't go extinct tomorrow, but efforts must continue to be made to conserve these amazing animals.

In addition, here is a digital rough of my next painting, the hunting of the Mammuthus primigenius, the Wooly Mammoth. Final to come shortly.