graphicvectors

2009-10-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

WE'VE MOVED!

Just letting you know that we have a whole new blog now at our new address here! So make sure to bookmark it and thanks for swinging by everyone! Enjoy...

2009-09-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

The Wedding invitation...

A good friend of ours is getting married at the end of October and instead of getting her a gift, she asked for my wife and I to design a pattern for her wedding invitation. She wanted us to try to incorporate both their interests, like food, traveling, modernism, wine and more. This is what we came up with...

The wedding is going to be in Palm Springs and my wife and I are pretty excited to see all the goodness there as they are revered for their mid-century homes there. Plan on taking lot s and lots of pictures. Thanks for looking and enjoy...

2009-09-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome...

I was commissioned by a Dr. Stephen Frueh, marriage counselor/motivational speaker, to do a book cover for his latest book "From Marginal to Magnificient- How to Make Your Marriage Sing."

We went through several compositions, but they were all variations of the same theme, a couple on stage bowing to a cheering audience. Exactly who is saying "You're welcome" isn't quite so clear. Is it the audience or the couple? Or both?

Anyhow, below is a a more complete picture of the illustration and a the actual jacket of the book itself.

Stephen was a joy to work with am glad to be working with him on another project which is still under wraps. Once that drops, I will make sure to post it up here...

And as a throwback to last week's DrawerGeeks Incredible's topic and Illustration Friday's Strong theme, this is the illustration I created.

As always, this piece is still a work in progress. So for now, enjoy...

2009-08-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

CAUTION: Beware of SHARKMAN

The blog popular Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty is celebrating its 3 year anniversary and to commemorate the occasion, Aaron Zenz put a call out to any artists who like to contribute artworks based on illustrations created from his two very talented kids, Isaac and Gracie.

So sorry, I can't take the credit on this one. Sharkman is actually the product of Isaac. After seeing this:

I HAD to do my animated version of it. Below is just my rough sketch of finished piece above. Enjoy.

2009-08-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Going back to my roots...

"Sorry I'm so late MJ, I just got wrapped up in something..."

It's been awhile since I had done any finished artwork related to comicbooks so this experiment in a new technique of inking and coloring was really an excuse for me to get back to my roots. Comicbooks is part of the reason I am an artist today, so it was a way for me to try something new with something familiar. So internets, let me know what you think. Good or bad, either way, I want to know.

Also, here is an older piece that fit in with this week's IF theme. I just wanted to give you a frame of reference of how much a departure my spiderman piece is to my old style.

Thanks for reading and enjoy...

2009-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

IF: MODIFIED

I had a ton of fun with this one. I was hired to create a banner for a children's jumper that needed a monster trucks theme. It was a bit of a throwback to my childhood days when I used to think these things were friggin awesome.

Here are some close ups of the individual modified beasts...

And here is a little nostalgia for you...

2009-06-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

IF: Worn

Poor little blue girl, always falling for the wrong guy. But what else do you expect from a girl who has always worn her heart on her sleeve?

This was actually based off an old illustration that I decided to ink and update a bit. Here is what the original sketch looked like.

Click on images to see larger version.

Also, I wanted to include here is a little IF catch up. I put together a new business card design using one of my owl pieces and I thought it fit with last week's "drifting" theme.

Hope you like it. Enjoy!

2009-06-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Fit to Be Worn...

A couple of weeks back I got a message from a fellow foodie alerting me of a contest being held by the popular yet elusive Korean BBQ truck company known as...

They needed a t-shirt design for promotional purposes so they put it out that they were accepting submissions.

The prizes featured some cash, which is always good, but more importantly, cuts in line. Because of their huge fan base, where ever they set up shop, a line is sure to follow. So cuts was a definite incentive.

So I decided to put my hat in the ring. I started out with a sort of mascot derived from their trademark flame...

With that settled, I sketched out possible body for him...

Then I thought since it was a mobile BBQ grill company, I would incorporate that into the design as well and got this...

And here is a close up of the design...

Feel free to click on any of the images to see larger version.

Sadly, I didn't win. However, for the results of the t-shirt contest, you can click here.

Anyhow, thanks for looking and enjoy...

2009-06-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

IF: UNFOLDED

"After she unfolded her wings, she quickly realized that she was not alone..."

This piece is a work in progress so feel free to come back and check it out later. So far I'm pretty happy with it, but it's just not quite there yet. Thanks for coming by and as always, enjoy...

2009-06-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

IF: Craving

"C is for..."

When I read that this week's theme was supposed to be "craving," cookie monster came to mind. I mean, they guy is the epitome of instant gratification. Anyhow, I would just like to thank sesame street for introducing me to the concept of a crack addict at such an early age.

In retrospect, maybe I just wasn't that much fun as child, but all I can remember is thinking, back then was "He's not really eating that cookie, he's a puppet. All he is doing is crumbling that perfectly good cookie and letting it fall to the ground. What a waste."

This is a work in progress as this week is insanely crazy for me, but when I get a chance, I think I will add more to the background. Until then, enjoy...

2009-05-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

World Class Record Breaker BoomBoxHead

BoomBoxHead is an original character of mine that I used for artworks and t-shirt designs but after becoming friends with Matt Hawkins and being inspired by his awesome work, I reimagined Boomboxhead as a papertoy. And this is the result...

I have to admit, it was a lot of time designing, cutting, pasting and tweaking, but it was a ton of fun and totally worth it. So much so that I have already other designs in the works. If you like this guy, then swing on by my etsy shop to purchase a PDF of BoomBoxHead.

As of right now, we do plush toy in the works, but we are still working out some of the details out. But when it does, I will make sure to post it up here.

Until next time, enjoy...

2009-05-20T00:02:00.000-07:00

IF: Contagious

Working with kids is no joke. When one kid comes down with something wicked, often times it can end up laying out the rest of the school, even the adults. So yeah, I make sure to wash my hands- a lot.

Due to time constraints, I decided to go with this concept of Illustration Friday's "contagious" theme. I knew that this concept was probably going to be beaten to the ground by some of the other artists, so I thought I would put a little twist to it. What do you think? Here is a close up of the kids.

If I had the time or the luxury, I was going to do a short 3 or 4 panel strip of some random guy at a cubicle sitting in front of his computer and yawning. Then the next thing you know, a sea of arms are seen peaking out of the tops of the cubicles behind him, all yawning too. Simply contagious.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy...

2009-04-30T01:18:00.000-07:00

"BoomBox Head Expressing himself"

BoomBox Head was a character that I had originally created for t-shirts, but then it just took on a life of it own. In this illustration, he is grabbing center stage and letting everyone know just what exactly is on his mind. So unless you want a piece of this, you better watch your step.

For those of you who are interested, here is a close up of him. Enjoy.

2009-04-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

Tribute to Sidney

A tribute piece that features one our beloved dogs who passed away two years ago today. We still think about her often and miss her dearly.

If you ask my wife, it's a bit of an ironic piece because the dog never ran for any reason, even food. And this dog was ALWAYS hungry.

Sidney was also the subject of an earlier piece of mine, which can be found here.

Below is a picture of the process I go through when I create an illustration from sketch to polished piece.

As always enjoy...

2009-04-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

IF: Impossibility

In case you didn't know, I work with kids. And they simply love to keep me on my toes, creatively that is. I mean, they always ask me to draw the most weirdest things. Which brings me to this little oddity.

It's rare that I get to turn the tables on them, but once in a blue moon the gods smile down on me and present me with a gem of an opportunity.

One child, who we shall call Bella, was pretending to run a tattoo parlor with all the works. She ran the front desk answering phones and taking appointments, she ran the cash register and even did the tattoos herself. Precious, I know.

And when it was my turn, she asks me with pen in hand, "What do you want." I replied with glint in my eye, "A jump-roping ghost." To which she flatly denied saying she couldn't do that. So I compromised. I asked for a ghost with a whip instead. What can I say, piece of cake...

Enjoy...

2009-03-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Hide and Seek Kid

Poised up here in the tree tops with his fine feathered friends, this kid will never be seen until it is too late... and he is safe on base. He prides himself on finding the sweetest hiding spots, that's what makes him a Playground Legend as the Hide and Seek Kid.

If you enjoyed this one, then you will dig the others from this series. Just search my blog witht the tag "Playground Legends." Enjoy...

2009-03-22T00:57:00.000-07:00

Lost Sock

1) Homework? "CHECK!"
2) Brown bagged lunch? "CHECK!"
3) Brushed hair and teeth? "CHECK!"
4) Dressed and ready for school? "CHECK! ...Um, Mom, minus 1 SOCK."

and here are some tighter images...

Enjoy people...

2009-03-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

"Gold? What gold?"

Sorry pal, but you are one lousy liar who is about to lose his legendary pot of gold. The rainbow is a bit of a giveaway, if you ask me. Them's the brakes man.

(EDIT: Uploaded a second version with more details.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

I played around with some other images before running with this one. I really pushed myself with the use of shapes and had a ton of fun with it. But in all honesty, I would probably have picked a different design if I just had more time. Oh well, maybe another time.

And another thing, are you wearing something green today?

Enjoy!

2009-03-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

Super Dad Hero

Just a little something I put together for our friends over at www.sweet-juniper.com . FYI, sweet juniper is a blog about a stay at home dad (not an urban legend, they do exist) with two of the coolest kids around. If I ever had kids, I would keep this guy on speed dial.

To read more about the story that inspired it, click here.

Thanks for looking and enjoy...

2009-03-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

IF: Chipboard Sketch Theme Breeze

Sit back and relax. Have a drink and enjoy the island breeze...

I know it's been awhile, but I am looking to make it up soon to you guys so stay tuned.

Thanks for checking in and enjoy...

2009-02-15T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

I know it's been awhile, but I made sure to pack this posting with tons of news for you guys to chew on as well as a deal on some limited edition stuff too, so read on...

First off, I want to apologize for the lack of posts, but getting the flu has a tendency to kick my ass so I was out of commission for awhile.

But I did want to take a moment and just let you all know how much my wife and I appreciate all the love we have been getting from the internets lately.

Given the current condition of our economy, you can imagine our surprise when we clicked over to our products page at Shanalogic, and see this:

And to top it off, we also reached a milestone with our etsy shop.

We now have over 600 people who "heart" our online store. Wow!

So basically what I'm trying to say is...

"Thanks Everyone!"

Oh, and another thing. If you happen to like this...

And this...

Then listen up! My dear friends over at Mailboxtees have decided to close their store and are clearing out their inventory which means... you can now buy some limited edition XENOS DESIGNS screen printed shirts for an amazing $5 ONLY!

Holy crap, you can't beat that! Click here to get'em while they are hot people.

We love you internets like Stain's here loves cake. So until next time, enjoy...

2009-01-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

POCKET MONSTER

Ever wish you had a pet that could fit in the palm of your hand and could live in one of your pockets? This is what mine would look like. Enjoy...

2009-01-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

Where have all the bees gone?

With all the bees in the world slowly disappearing, this little honey hunter is resolved in finding out just what has happened to all his friends...

This is the basic premise for a children's book that I have on the backburner of my head. Hope you guys like and if you are interested, I have a limited number of prints available for sale on the right. Until next time, enjoy...

2008-12-30T22:25:00.000-08:00

I'm Bond, James Bond.

This piece was created specifically for Drawergeeks! For those of you who aren't familiar with this site, it is a group of artists from various creative fields who create original pieces every other Friday based on a certain theme. One week's theme was Bond, James Bond.

2008-12-30T21:45:00.000-08:00

IF:Clandestine

These pieces were a part of a triptych I had done awhile back and never got around to posting up here. It features 3 vastly different and precarious points of view. One from a fishbowl, mousehole and birdcage. I happen to think this sneaky kitty it fits this week's theme so if i don't get a chance to sneak in another entry, I hope you like this one.

Prints are available, just send me a note. Thanks for reading and enjoy...

2008-12-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

2008-12-12T07:05:00.001-08:00

IF & More...

Watch out for these two rambunctious guys. Not sure how it started, but I think it had something to do with someone's mom having big ears.

And...

Here are some images of a new project my crafty wife and I have been working on. She does all the sewing while I do the graphics so everything here is strictly DIY. Let me know what you guys think.

If they happen to strike your fancy, we have them for sale here as well as some other really cute stuff too. Check it out!

On another note, I am busting my bum trying to get my art print store running at www.xenosmesa.etsy.com, so please stay tuned...

Thanks for reading and until next time, enjoy...

The luchador piece was a commission and all rights belong to Creative Edge. As always, all images on this site are copyrighted and may not be reused in any manner without artist's permission.

2008-12-03T02:01:00.000-08:00

Looks like this little guy needed some help.

Until next time, enjoy...

2008-11-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

IF: Pretend

This was a commission that I created for a children's bag company. Not sure if they ever used it, so if you ever happen to see it one on the back of some kid, please drop me a line.

So if you like this one then you love these. Below are some links to some oldies but goodies that fit perfectly with this week's theme as I am ALWAYS doing pieces depicting kids and their random acts of imagination.

"The Matador"
"The K9 Wrestler"
"The Airplane Kid"
"The Kid Who Flew"
"The King of Checkers"

Until next time, enjoy...

2008-11-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

ART DUMP!

In preparation for my upcoming coloring book, I have been feverishly been working on some new artwork inspired by the children that I work with.

First up is a dragon riding knight. Not the wisest thing to do, but that's what kids ask for. Go figure...

Last picture is another colaboration piece with my awesomely crafty wife. She made the shirt from scratch and I supplied the graphics. If you dig it, more can be found here for sale here.

Thanks for reading and until next time, enjoy...

2008-10-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

IF: Repair

When I was younger, I always wondered who would have to repair all those decimated buildings in Japan whenever Godzilla went on a rampage. It's amazing I wasn't picked on a lot more when I was a kid, huh?

Enjoy...

2008-09-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

Usagi Yojimbo Artwork

Usagi was a popular comicbook character created by Stan Sakai way back when. The character was a real bad ass. A lone swordsman on warrior's pilgrimage.

To read up more about him, click here.

He was done up for a friend's birthday and was a lot of fun to do. I was short on time so the backgrounds were done quickly but I was happy with them both.

No disrespect to the original, but I created my own version of Usagi and dug how the head turned out. Hope you all like it. Until next time, enjoy!

2008-09-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

70 CUTE AND CHEEKY VECTORS @ VECTORTUTS...

I know, I know. It's been awhile since I have posted anything, and to be honest, it maybe awhile before I post anything again. So until then, enjoy this little tidbit.

One of my pieces was featured on a site shining a light on vector animal images and characters. My particular piece that was picked was based on the daily chuck section of the wildly popular Dooce blog by Heather B. Armstrong. If you have a few hours to kill, her blog is a great read, even if you don't happen to be a parent.

Click here and let me know if you can spot mine piece out from the others.

And another thing, my wife just finished a new shirt featuring one of my animal graphics!

To learn more or if you wish to buy it, you can find it here.

Thanks for reading and until next time, enjoy...

2008-08-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

IF: DETACH

From a Hellboy story line where these demon's head detached from their bodies and tried to devour him. Good stuff.

Now this one is truly twisted and it hails from my Filipino heritage. This is a sketch of the fabled Aswang. These creatures, which are only of the female gender, have the ability to sprout wings and separate from their lower torsos. They only travel at night in search of pregnant women's organs to sustain them. Creepy.

And this one is an IF catchup. It was originally for the theme of "poof" but I didn't make it in time. Below are two versions of the same character.

My original concept that uses the old genie fable, but with a hip hop twist to it. In my version, the genie lives in an old beat up boom box that was purchased at a pawn shop by some young aspiring artist/musician that couldn't afford an ipod. Still developing the story so stay tuned.

Enjoy.

2008-08-14T00:42:00.000-07:00

Sailing... sort of.

Just an idea that came to me and sketched out. Not completely happy with it and will probably end up tweaking it more later. Oh well. Until then, enjoy.

2008-08-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

The best dance video... ever.

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

2008-08-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

I DREAM OF...

My original concept that uses the old genie fable, but with a hip hop twist to it.

In my version, the genie lives in an old beat up boom box that was purchased at a pawn shop by some young aspiring artist/musician that couldn't afford an ipod.

Still developing the story so stay tuned.

Until next time, enjoy...

2008-07-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

ONE MAN'S TRASH...

This week I decided to conduct an artistic experiment by doing things a little differently. Instead of taking my usual illustration route, I thought I would make things more... graphic. I have been playing around with this concept for months, and now had an excuse to make it. Below are the steps I took:

#1- Sketch out the concept and scan
#2- tweak and trace in the computer
#3- color

*for bigger view, click on image.

...and the last step was to add some extra elements to help punch it up a bit.

As for the concept, I believe it came to me because my wife and I have been on this garage sale kick lately. We have been making our rounds in the neighborhood garage sale circuit as well as the local flea markets and finding some really nice vintage stuff. And like the title says, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Enjoy.

2008-07-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Children's Imagination Series: The Pancake Kid

One in a series of children's illustrations. Enjoy.

2008-07-16T02:09:00.000-07:00

Demon in the Fog

I have always been a HUGE fan of Mignola's work, which is surprising that I don't do more pieces with Hellboy.

Anyhow, this was an experimental piece for me and I dug how it turned out. I guess the only thing left for me to do now is just see the newest installment. Hmmm, maybe next week. Until next time, enjoy...

2008-07-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

And yet again, another illustration inspired by Sweet-Juniper...

This is inspired by the parenting blog called sweet-juniper.

More specifically, this entry here.

You may need to read it in order to fully appreciate it.

It's not your typical blog about parenting. Its written by a stay-at-home-dad and working mother after my own heart, if I were a dad that is.

If you get the chance, click over and get hooked.

Enjoy.

2008-07-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

NEW RELEASE! BoomBoxHead T-shirt from www.Mailboxtees.com now available!

I was asked by the owner of mailboxtees to design a shirt with the theme of human vs. nature. The story goes like this...

He's a fossil in a technologically advanced world, so he does what he has to in order to survive and stay warm, even at the expense of digital hand-held media players. Boombox head represents human nature's resistance to natural evolution.

This is the design...

And these were the suggest color schemes...

And finally, this is what they went with.

To purchase one or subscribe to the service, click here.

Enjoy.

2008-07-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Social Compass Loopt T-shirt Commission

Big thanks go out to Shari from Loopt. She approached me a couple of months ago to design a promotional shirt for the new cell phone service company that helps you keep in touch with your friends and/or help you stay in the loop (no pun intended, really) as to all the latest hotspots. Chances are your phone is already supported or will soon be, so check out their site here.

And now onto the shirt. Here were my suggested color schemes...

Since the shirt was supposed to be for the LA crowd, I was leaning towards the Laker colors but the company decided to put the design on a green shirt instead. Below is a picture of the actual shirt.

In case the picture was not clear enough for you, below is the design itself

For those of you that really, really know me, there are three details about myself incorporated into the design. Drop me a line and let me know if you can spot them. Extra brownie points to the person that can spot my name hidden in the design too.

Until next time folks, enjoy!

2008-07-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

SWEET JUNIPER! Illustration

This is inspired by the parenting blog called sweet-juniper.

More specifically, this entry.
You may need to read it in order to fully appreciate it.

After reading it, I HAD to sketch it out.

It's not your typical blog about parenting. Its written by a stay-at-home-dad and working mother after my own heart, if I were a dad that is.

If you get the chance, click on over and get hooked.

Enjoy.

2008-06-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

El Matador

This is a piece from my children's series of illustrations based on imagination. Only a child could make that poor sweet face into a fierce bull.

Image is currently under representation, contact me for more details. Until then, enjoy!

2008-06-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE KILLS GRAPHIC

I had almost forgotten how this thing worked but then I remembered I learned about it during high school science class. I know it has been shown in movies and the Simpsons and all, but scientifically, its much more complicated.

(Takes deep breath....) The body of the bird is actually a type of thermometer, which contains mercury at the bulbous end of the bird. When one tilts the "head" of the bird into a glass, it gets... ( I know, duh.) wet. And cooler.

So then all the mercury travels to the bottom, making it bottom heavy. While upright, the head dries and then comes to room temperature thus causing the mercury to climb up into the head again.

That is until it is top heavy again, and dips his head into the glass. Therefore starting the whole process over again.

This is MY understanding of how it works, which pretty much debunks those movies/tv shows uses of the birds.

Wow, that took longer than I anticipated.

I have submitted it to THREADLESS T-shirts and it just went live today. So help a brother out and vote vote vote guys!

thanks and you can check it out here:

Thanks for reading everyone and as always, enjoy!

2008-05-09T12:00:00.001-07:00

Introducing... metroBOTO!

MetroBOTO- Sworn protector of Metro City, MetroBOTO can leap over expensive toll bridges in a single bound. He may strike fear into the hearts of wrongdoers but all Metro City citizens agree when they say, "Domo arigato metroBOTO!" In my opinion, every city should have at least one of these.

and here is the promo i put together for it. (model pictures actually belong to our t-shirt company and don't belong to me.)

this a a new design that mailboxtees will be carrying of mine which you can find and purchase here.

i just got it in the mail and its actually slightly lower on the actual shirt, but still looks damn good.

just so you know, i have another design waiting dormant, so stay tuned...

2008-03-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

Homage to Casey: The "Self-Proclaimed" King of Checkers

Artwork from my children's imagination series.
The title pretty much sums it up. Enjoy.

P.S. You would think that finding reference images of a decent crown and robe would be easy. Boy was I wrong, more on that in a later blog.

2008-03-24T11:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter... sort of.

Happy Easter everyone. I know its a bit late, but both my wife and I are currently sick, which is only compounded by the mere fact that it is a toasty 94 degrees outside.

Being sick on such a gloriously gorgeous day is a pet peeve of my wife. Enjoy.

2008-03-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

IF: Heavy...

This is "Luke: The Big Catch Kid", from my Children's Imagination Series. Pretty self explanatory, so enjoy!

2008-02-29T06:59:00.001-08:00

IF: Leap

One piece from my "Playground Legends" Series. This is one is inspired by a young boy I work with named Beckett and I have titled it "The Boy who Flew".

Enjoy.

2008-02-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

IF: Multiple

Triptych artworks portraying the point of views of...

a birdcage,

a fishbowl,

and finally a mousehole.

Hope you guys dug that as much as I did making it. If you are interested in a print, just click on my store link to the left. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

2008-02-23T21:34:00.001-08:00

My Official Art Process...

Because absolutely no one demanded it, in this post, I am giving you a sneak peek into my artistic process, or lack thereof.

Inspiration hits me from just about anywhere, but typically it comes to me while I am no where near a pencil or piece of paper.

Thankfully for modern technology, I can just whip out my cell and take a picture of whatever tickles my imagination. And then sketch my idea later.

However for this piece, I did not have that luxury. My wife and I were traveling in a car when I spotted a really cool statue in front a public library.

So when I finally got home, I jumped on the net and luckily found a picture of it. I quickly sketched out my idea.

Then I gathered some reference images for the finer details of the illustration.

I also decided to add some other details to make the concept more mine, which required more reference material.

And how many hours later, I came up with this...

Hope you all enjoyed that. I plan on doing more with the same theme so stay tuned ya'll. Thanks for reading!

2008-02-20T23:29:00.001-08:00

A Belated Valentine...

So lately I have been getting a lot of freelance graphic design work thrown my direction, and one recent gig was a logo for a character. Considering this is a late valentine post, I think it fits, don't you?

For those of you who don't know, I have been married now for... um, years. So she will always be my perpetual valentine. However, this year, she has some nasty competition...

There is no possible way I would ever be able to afford the larger Wacom Cintiq. (Well at least, not anytime soon.) However, Wacom has decided to tease me further with a smaller, more affordable tablet. Your can read more about it here. My brother invested in one and after witnessing him use it, I was smitten.

One of these days Wacom, you shall be mine.

2007-12-14T18:59:00.001-08:00

Dog Mask Series

My, how have the tables have turned.

If you enjoy this piece, feel free to go to http://www.xenosmesa.etsy.com and pick up a print.

Enjoy...

2007-12-14T18:54:00.001-08:00

"Hope you all have a very momi X'mas!"

Not trying to be lazy but until I finish our x'mas greeting card illustration for this year, this will have to do. It is a picture of our beloved pet Tomomi with Santa Claus. Don't let the crazy tongue fool you, it's even wetter and wilder in person so watch out...

2007-12-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

Little Things...

This is part of a series called POV. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. Trippy little magic mushroom says, "You can find more goodies like prints of my artwork at http://www.xenosmesa.etsy.com or homemade plushies at http://www.xenosdesigns.etsy.com too!"

Thanks for reading!

2007-11-14T22:45:00.001-08:00

Now introducing...

Luvbot is an original design created for a t-shirt subscription at www.mailboxtees.com.

While you are there, you can check out some of the other designers as well as my Jackrabbit t-shirt design. Enjoy.

2007-11-03T23:59:00.001-07:00

ode to a saturday morning staple. enjoy.

2007-10-31T11:34:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-26T00:17:00.001-07:00

Monster Sketch Work

2007-10-23T12:30:00.001-07:00

IF: GROW

Illustration inspired by the following poem.

SHORT KID by shel silverstein

They said I'd grow another foot Before I reached the age of ten. It's true, I grew another foot- Guess this is what they meant.

IF: Blue

and he loves me not...

2007-10-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

IF: Extremes

nuff said.

2007-07-12T03:55:00.000-07:00

IF-Geeky

My take on Simon, aka O.G.- the original geek. I am actually working on the others under the same theme, so stay tuned...

2007-06-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

CHIPBOARD SKETCHES

Just trying out something new, so let me know what ya'll think.

Enjoy!

2007-06-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

In case that you didn't already know, when I am not doing my art thing, I am working part time as a director for an after school care program. Truthfully, if I wasn't doing art, working with children would probably be the next best thing. The kids keep me feeling young... and old, but that is another blog all together.

At the end of the year, gifts are often bestowed upon myself and my staff. Ideally, I would show my gratitude with a thank you card but this isn't always the case. Life happens and next thing you know, its September and school is starting again.

I still intend on sending out cards this summer, but just in case LIFE happens to me again, I decided to do a preemptive maneuver. I would put forth my appreciation to the very generous parents I work for, on the internet, for all to read.

So in no particular order, I would like to give thanks to the following families...

To the Leeds Family:
Thanks to you, I will NEVER need money to buy a book at Barnes & Noble ever again!

To the Kellog Family:
Thank you for your continuous support and uplifting words!

To the Gardner Family:
You found my soft spot for art and took advantage. Thank you!

To the Nickman Family:
For your daily dose of sunshine! Your gifts have found a comfortable home in my kitchen and will continue to give all-year round!

To the Griffin Family:
Your patience and support are endless!

To the Bowman Family:
For your artistic encouragment, you have my utter gratitude.

To the Scott Family: Now my wife and I can have a night to ourselves to enjoy at the movies. Thank you!

Lastly, I would like to thank the generosity of the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth grade parents who found it necessary to further recognize the work that I do on a daily basis. I couldn't ask for a more gracious and amazing group of parents to work with!

2007-06-21T17:19:00.001-07:00

Mark your calenders people...

Family Service Agency of Burbank is having a Silent Art Auction featuring donated artworks from artists like yours truly.

The auction will take place June 30th, in the halls of CARTOON NETWORK Studios. Bidding starts at 6, and ends at 7:30. So if you have money that's just burning a hole in your pocket, why not give it to a charity! If you have any questions, go to:

http://familyserviceagencyofburbank.org/silentauction.php

Thanks for reading and maybe I will see you there!

2007-06-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Tribute to Gaming Consoles of Yesteryear...

When I was younger, my parents refused, nay, forbade my brother and I to watch television during the weekdays let alone... (Audible Gasp) Play video games! So now at that I am older, I have tried to recapture my childhood by collecting all my old favorite NES games. So far I have managed to collect the Classics like Contra, Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Burgertime, Double Dribble, TEMCO Bowl, and the ever elusive Super Dodgeball. (Thanks bro!)

Above: A graphic I designed for use on a belt buckle.

Below: The final application of the graphic on a wood inlay belt buckle my wife makes and sells at our site at: www.xenosdesigns.com

NES SECRETS:

-Whenever I tell people this, they think I am crazy, but its true! I have done it a few times, honest! When I was horsing around and playing SMBros, I thought I would try to kill both Mario and the Boss at the end of the level by timing it so that Big Mario touched both the ax and the boss at the same exact time. The result? Little fire ball throwing Mario! Seriously! After the boss bites it, Big Mario does this thing that looks like skating on one foot all the way to the wannabe princess, all the while constantly blinking. When the next level starts, Big Mario hits a question mark and what shall appear but a MUSHROOM! He then proceeds to shrink after taking the mushroom. Then he gets a flower and can throw fireballs. But when he does, he get big for a split second when he chucks he fireball and then reverts back to shrimpy Mario. This comes in mighty handy in the water stage, but incredibly hard to maintain. Once he gets hit, he goes back to normal.

-I actually read somewhere that there is some sort of secret mode in Duck Hunt that allows the player to actually shoot at the laughing dog. I really have to look into that...

If you get the chance, check out the link below to some guy who converted his old NES controller into an awesome Ipod! Check it out and enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/technicolorcavalry/96348192/

2007-06-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

DinoSuit
1 in a series. Until then, enjoy.

2007-06-04T00:03:00.001-07:00

Tentacle Skull Thing

Enjoy.

2007-06-02T08:41:00.001-07:00

IF: Your Paradise

Enjoy.

2007-05-30T09:11:00.001-07:00

Dog in the Wind

Enjoy.

2007-05-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Cardboard Art Series: AfroChic

Enjoy.

2007-05-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

TURTLE CAR

I originally designed this for use as a t-shirt graphic but later decided to throw some colors on.

It's now available as a one of the kind art piece. If you are interested in purchasing, feel free to drop me a line or go buy it while it is still on display at Rockin Baby Shop in Eagle Rock!

2007-05-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

My Hip Hop Itch...

When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of hip hop and rap because my friends did. But as I got older and became my own person, my taste in music became broader. I would listen to all sorts of genres of music, and my appreciation of all music and its nuances grew.

However, lately I have been getting back to my roots and listening to more rap. I would like to say because of my love for it drove me back, but its because my car radio only gets a handful of stations now. (Tree fell on my car. Broke my radio antennae. Can't afford to get it fixed. Don't ask.) But its been fun and I think my art has been reflecting that lately. So enjoy!

"Hold me back."

"Don't Mess with the DJ"

"Spray-Graphic"

RoboDJ

"Back in the day, when I was young, I'm not a kid anymore. But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again."

2007-05-18T07:03:00.001-07:00

CAUTION: STARVING ARTISTS CROSSING

I should have one of these made and hang it on my door. Enjoy.

2007-05-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

LOST season finale TONIGHT!

2007-05-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

CARDBOARD ART SERIES: SPOTTED

2007-05-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: NEIGHBOR

2007-05-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Cardboard Art Series:

Introducing... Tapehead. I have always wanted to do art on cardboard and now I finally have a series of them. So stay tuned.

P.S. After showing this to someone, they said that it would make an excellent vinyl toy. It wasn't intentional, but in retrospect, I could definitely see it. And I have always wanted to design one before because those toys are the cat's pajamas, know what I mean? If you don't, just check out sites like www.kidrobot.com. Anyhow, I may get a sculpt done of it so just another reason to stay tuned. Till next time...

2007-04-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday: Remember

This is an original design I created as a greeting card. If you like it, they can be purchased here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=88920

Otherwise, enjoy!

2007-04-29T10:46:00.001-07:00

Sidney Padua Portrait

Earlier this week, my wife's family dog of almost 14 years passed away. For the past year my mother-in-law who has been out of the country, so she asked us to watch her two dogs, Abbey and Sidney.

I, myself, have only known Sid for about 9 years. She was always there, lending a watchful eye. She witnessed the beginning of my relationship with my wife and thankfully she was also there for our wedding.

My wife and I often randomly trade memories whenever they occur to us during the course of the day. We also find faint little reminders of Sidney all around the house that always causes us to pause and take a moment.

The thing about training dogs is that they take comfort in routine. Its in their blood. But routines also make lasting impressions on humans too. Whenever we leave the house, we always give cookies to the all the girls. How many days later, I have to make a conscious effort to take one less cookie. And when we come home, we still find our eyes going to that one spot we knew Sidney would be, anxiously waiting our arrival.

Its hard, having a dog. I don't suggest it to everyone, especially those weak of heart. I have always regarded myself as a dog person, which is why dogs can always be found in my artwork. In reality, Sidney was my first dog. I am still unable to fathom how something so small and sweet can take and reciprocate so much of your time, love and attention. But it is worth it.

Sidney was and will forever be in my eyes, the greatest dog. We love you and miss you Sid.

2007-04-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Cardboard Art Series:

"Lucha: Jungle Rules"

On a side note, I now have representation for some my works as rights managed. So you can now find my art at...

2007-04-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday Catchup!

"polar"

"fortune"

2007-04-19T02:20:00.000-07:00

I AM 8BIT ART SHOW PICTURES

I originally planned on going to this show the night it was opening but then I heard how many people were expected to show up. So I decided to go the next day instead, which I am glad I did. The gallery is physically small, but they did a great job of spreading everyone's work out so it didn't seem crowed. It was great seeing other people's take on the childhood games I grew up on. So be prepared to feel nostalgic after attending, or better yet, feel old at home and check out my pictures!

I didn't catch all the artists names but I truly appreciated all the pieces. The only reason I knew the name of this artist, "Blooboy", is because we correspond with each other on the net. I really dig his stuff.

I don't know how they did it, but its impressive. I am not sure if its intentional, but to me, Donkey Kong looks an awful like one of the pieces from barrel of monkeys, except on steroids.

This piece really blew me away because I didn't recognize the characters right away. I had to read the title to realize it was Princess Peach and Yoshi. It just goes to show there are really different strokes for different folks.

I had to take a picture of this one for two reasons:
1) My wife and I pride ourselves on being pretty crafty, but this was pretty damn cool.
2) An old friend of mine is a BurgerTime addict. He apparently still has it on the Nintendo console and plays it. Cheers SC!

Not the biggest fan of Joust, but if an updated game was done, this would be some awesome concept art for it. Imagine a polygon first-person p.o.v. version of the game?

Steve Lamb is an amazing artist that I stumbled upon while doing my rounds on the blogs. He did a phenomenal job on his piece and totally justifies the dismantling of a Golden Book for its spine.

I really liked the simplified nature of the Donkey Kong. So what are you gonna do 'bout it? Thats what I thought.

This piece actually made me chuckle. Q*Bert always kinda struck me as an unstable character. I mean, he is probably the first video game character that I can remember actually cussing.

I wish I could post more, but unfortunately the pictures didn't quite turn out. So if you want to see more, you will just have to get off you duff and see it for yerself. Another plus is that there is a Golden Apple next door, so you can let your inner comicbook/videogame geek cry out in glee. Enjoy!

2007-04-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

LET'S WRESTLE!

You dig me? Then show your love at http://mojizu.com/artist/graphicvectors/SEA%20MONSTER%20LUCHADOR.aspx

This piece is called "One Sick Elephant"

If anyone really likes it, I actually have it on canvas and for sale. Thanks for coming by and enjoy!

2007-04-04T01:03:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday Catchup!

This week's "Snap!"

& past week's

"I spy..."

"Wired"

Enjoy!

2007-02-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

IF: GRAVITY

This piece was actually conjured up by an imaginative elementary student.

Introducing... KID FLYER

This is an original piece I created of a character I conjured myself. It is of a boy who always dreamt of flying until one day he actually tried.

Enjoy...

2007-02-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

2007-01-27T00:10:00.000-08:00

IF: Red

I was wanting to do a piece that was a departure from anything I had done before, so this is what came out of it.

This piece was originally conceived for a television pitch.

If i get that chance I will try to cram in another entry for this weeks theme, but until then- Enjoy!

2007-01-20T00:56:00.000-08:00

IF: Super Hero

This is a character of my own creation. Originally designed for a dog rescue but thought it was a good match for this week's topic. Enjoy!

Spidey PPG Style

I always dug the Spiderman character, except I just wanted to give it a twist. Enjoy!

2007-01-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

Cat & Mouse Graphic

IF: Buzz

2007-01-10T00:14:00.000-08:00

2007-01-09T00:45:00.000-08:00

Quick 10 Minute Sketch with Colors...

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2006-12-23T22:32:00.000-08:00

My Crafty X'mas...

2006-12-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

Plastic tree from "Mas Precio Loco"- $0.99
Plastic ornaments- $0.99
Felt cut out- $0.50
Makeshift tree topper out of Target ornament- $2.99
X'mas tree sitting on my window sill for the whole nieghborhood to see- Priceless

Our wreath was actually two garlands we bought on clearance at the local Bed, Bath and Beyond store. (It would have been cheaper if I hadn't pointed out to the cashier that there were two strands as opposed to the one she scanned.) I bent up an old wire hanger and wrapped the garland around it and My wife simply added some ribbon to pull in any stray branches. I have to admit, the project turned out pretty damn good. Enjoy ya'll!

IF: Help

2006-12-17T11:37:00.000-08:00

IF: Masks

2006-12-10T02:01:00.000-08:00

Illustration Friday's entry for "masks".

all original characters by yours truly. enjoy...

2006-12-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

Um. This is NOT what I ordered...

Okay, for those of who who don't know, my wife and I have a clothing company which we run out of our home. We order supplies all the time and one day my wife opens one delivery to find this...

She wasn't sure what is was until she looked more closely...

Apparently the company who was shipping a box to us decided to use this newspaper article to pad our order. After the initial shock, we read about this young girl's ordeal. It is actually pretty inspiring. You can check it out at:

http://www.kwabs.com/artman/publish/article_2898.shtml

2006-12-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

Owl In a Tree

Original artwork that was supposed to be a graphic for a belt buckle but was scrapped. Enjoy!