Introducing Highlights' Eagle Eye Hidden Pictures featuring Heidi & Zeke!

With this month's debut of the first two issues of Highlights Eagle Eye Hidden Pictures debuting online at Highlights Hidden Picture Club, it's hard to believe that I've been working on Heidi & Zeke for just shy of a year now. In fact, I just submitted book 17 and 18's sketch last week. I've been doing my best to quietly contain my excitement but, if you know me, it hasn't been easy.

It has been a tremendous pleasure to consistently work on and develop the characters of Heidi and Zeke. I confess, it wasn't until I finished book 8's hidden picture that I realized Heidi and Zeke's names were a play off of Hide and Seek. Hoo-boy! I'm swift! 

Unlike the hidden pictures you may be familiar with, the ones in Eagle Eye are accompanied by puzzles, stickers, games or, as with Heidi and Zeke, a story! Join Heidi and Zeke twice a month as they help their friends find their many lost objects. As the tag line says: "No object is too hard to find when detective Heidi Hamilton & her trusty dog, Zeke, are on the case."

Subscribe to Highlights or Hidden Pictures for the kids in your life. You know they'll love getting their very own issues each & every month!

Sketches from the Stargazing What's Wrong? illustration.

Here are the sketches from my latest What's Wrong? illustration created for November's Highlights. 

As you can see the first one is a bit too crowded, there aren't enough average sized telescopes and there isn't enough sky showing.

The second is less crowded. The only problem is a few "wrongs" aren't obvious enough.

The "wrongs" are not a bit easier to read but more children are needed.

The final sketch.

What's Wrong, Comet ISON?

I created the back cover What's Wrong? illustration for this November's Highlights. As many of you know I stargaze quite often. Staying up late or waking before dawn to view astronomical events is fun for me, much to my wife's chagrin. I'm not entirely sure when my love of astronomy began. Honestly, I can't remember a time when I wasn't fascinated with the skies. I have a very vivid memory of seeing Saturn's Rings for the first time through my telescope and just how much of an impact that had on me.

So you can see why I was thrilled to create this What's Wrong? illustration. I did extensive research to make sure that the sky was as accurate as possible For mid-November at about 4am. However, I did use a little artistic license by adding a very bright comet ISON which is visible starting this month. After the comet passes the sun (which will happen this November) it could become extremely bright or completely fall apart. I'm praying it will survive and give us a great show. 

Easter Eggs in this piece include: Lowell Observatory's Pluto Dome, Galileo, Laika, a map of the Apollo 8 flight path, aliens, and my family and I on the bottom left.

Highlights makes a great gift for kids! Subscribe for the little ones in your life. Do it!

Locust Moon Comics Festival: Oct . 5

I'll be at the Locust Moon Comics Festival in Philadelphia this Saturday, October 5th from 10-6. Please stop by and say hello. My location in the Sanctuary S-33B. 

I'll have copies of my Which Art Student Are You? books, some prints and original art for sale.

More info here: http://locustmoonfest.com