That Silly Parade!

Drawing a marching band is not easy. So much research was involved in making this as believable as possible, from the individual instruments to how to correctly hold them. I've really only ever played some guitar so my wife's knowledge of these instruments was invaluable to me. This piece is currently in the July 2011 issue of Highlights High Five which is available now.

I put a lot of cameos of family and friends in this one. The band is loosely based on my wife's high school, North Penn and their Marching Knights, of which she was a member. My wife can be seen playing the clarinet with holly attached to her hat. My Grandfather (of whom I am named after) can be seen on the left with my Grandma Vi. The four children sitting on the curb (one has a horn) are of myself (I'm wearing the Canada cap), my two brothers and my sister. We would often go to parades that were just up the road from us on Frankford Avenue in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia. Some of my nieces and nephews are pictured as well as a couple of friends with their kids. 

Here is the line art: