Which Way USA?

Here's some work I did for Highlight's Which Way USA over the past year. Notes & links on each piece below. Which Way USA is a cool online magazine that teaches children about our states through games and puzzles. Be sure to check it out!

Maine Potato Blossom Festival.  What's Wrong?

Mystery Cave, Minnesota. What's Wrong?

Miami Beach, Florida. Hidden Picture.

Saint Mary's Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana. Hidden Picture.

Punkin Chunkin, Delaware. Hidden Picture

Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico. What's Wrong?

That's Silly, Beach Lake!

... and some Heidi and Zeke hidden pictures.

My latest That's Silly! illustration is in this July's Highlights High Five issue. I took inspiration from many childhood summers spent at Pennsylvania's Promised Land Lake and some more recent memories of Rickett's Glen Sate Park (seriously the most beautiful park in PA).

The Heidi and Zeke hidden pictures are from July's Highlights Eagle Eye Hidden Picture magazine. Unlike regular hidden pictures, short stories accompany the illustration. In the first one Heidi and Zeke help a troubled young girl find her bunny rabbit before her family goes on a long car trip. Second, Heidi and Zeke help the Zamboni operator find his lost keys so he can clean the ice for the kids to get back to skating. 12-14 other objects are also hidden in each of these illustrations but I did them so long ago that I can't remember where they are. Wink!

Latest published stuff...

Hi. I'm busy. Here's some fun stuff I recently did. Have a Merry Christmas!

A School Band What's Wrong? from January 2014's Highlights...

From Highlights Hidden Pictures Eagle Eye Books 3 and 4...

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!

What's Wrong, Italian Market?

When Highlights asked me to make a What's Wrong? of a City Market I could think of no other than Philadelphia's Italian Market. I've only been there once in my life, during the off peak time, but I did a lot of research (see below) to make it look authentic minus the trash and fire barrels. If you've ever been to the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, or saw the scene in Rocky when he is jogging through it  (starts at :23) one thing comes to mind, "this is so beautiful and yet, totally disgusting." Honestly, it smells, there's trash all over the place, and most of the merchants are rude. Ah, Philadelphia! City of Brotherly Love. That's what makes this city so great- everyone wears their hearts on their sleeve and we don't apologize for it or care if you're offended- much like you would speak to a close family member. Ha!

I finished this piece the week my Dad went into the hospital before he passed away. Good friend and designer, Drew Phillips, helped me out with doing some flat coloring for me. All I had to do was make some adjustments, then add textures and shadows. Thanks, Drew!

Things to look for in this piece: Adrian Balboa ironing a sock, myself, wife and daughter driving a row home, and my personal favorite, a girl mouse being serenaded with her concerned Father reacting in a nearby window.

The original sketch is below. One thing I was sad to see go was Adrian Balboa carrying Rocky's two turtles known as Cuff and Link.

The scene was based loosely on these photos:

Make sure to get a Highlights subscription for the kids in your life. It really is the greatest magazine on earth.

What's Wrong, Ducks?

I hope this brightens up everyone's day.

This What's Wrong? is on the back cover of this month's Highlights.

I was unaware of Rubber Duck races until I was asked to draw this one.

Right click and open in another window or tab to view this piece larger.

Working

I'm drawing Philadelphia's Italian market which is terribly fun to do.

IF: Snow

It has been a long time since I submitted anything to Illustration Friday so I thought I'd post these three Highlights illustrations for the snow theme this week. Have fun finding all of the Silly/Wrong things!

Summer is over!

Below is an illustration I did for the back cover of October's Highlights magazine. This one is based on our annual Great Pumpkin Day celebration. This year is our 12th year of getting together with friends and family to eat, drink and carve pumpkins to welcome autumn. It started with myself and two friends but has grown to some fifty guests, many of whom are pictured here.

I just wanted to remind you that Highlights is greatest children's magazine on earth. You really should get the children in your life a subscription.

Sneak Peek Stuff.

Here's a bunch of snippet sneak peeks at some upcoming stuff I did for Highlights. The first two are Hidden Pictures and the last two are for What's Wrong? back covers. I'm not sure exactly when they'll be published but I'm assume the Pumpkin one will be on the back cover of this coming October issue and the Dogsled Race will be sometime in the winter (February?). As for Hidden Pictures, I have absolutely no idea.

I also wanted to point out that there is now a fun Hidden Picture and What's Wrong? game on the Highlights site.  The Hidden Picture game features some of my work as well as many other excellent illustrations by the wonderful Highlights' illustrators. Be sure to check it out!

The Dogsled Race What's Wrong? has more people in it then I have ever drawn in a single illustration. If I remember correctly, it has 105 humans not to mention 17 dogs. I know, I lost my mind.

What's Wrong, City Harbor?

My latest What's Wrong? illustration is on the back cover of July's Highlights Magazine.  There are a lot of easter eggs in this one. Some are personal: such as my Dad, my childhood dog, and myself in my Dad's bass boat on the bottom of the illustration. I grew up fishing on the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Bristol. Many of the boat harbors (if you can call them that- they were just yacht club docks really) looked similar to this. However, I did mix in some New England influence which I found more pleasing to the eye. 

Other fun stuff includes the boat and cast from Jaws (including the kid with the shark fin on his head), the explorer Jacques Cousteau in his sub (I have fond memories of watching Cousteau on PBS - he always fascinated me), and a tugboat (simply because I love tugboats). There is also a Biblical reference in here, can you find it?

Now that I look at this illustration I realize that I did something wrong: the crabs are walking forward. I know, now it's ruined.

What's Wrong, soccer?

 Hi. I'll be quick. I've been busy. Here's my latest What's Wrong? for this June's Highlights. The original sketch is  below the finished art. 

Unfortunately, the foosball kids had to go along with some other stuff.

Get your kids, nephews, nieces and/or grandkids a subscription to Highlights. They'll be glad you did!

What's Wrong, Easter Egg Hunt?

April's Highlights has my most recent What's Wrong? illustration. I loved Easter Egg hunts when I was a kid. One year my oldest brother, Mike, planned out a whole hunt for us. The eggs spelled out "happy easter."

Have a wonderful Spring and a Happy Easter everyone. 

What's Wrong? of the year for 2011!

Great news! I won the Highlights for Children Silver Plate award for What's Wrong? Illustration of the year for 2011! A special thank you to everyone at Highlights for this great honor. You really know how to make your illustrators feel appreciated by all of the wonderful things you do for us. Thank you.

The illustration was for Highlights' 65th Anniversary issue and featured many of the Highlights' characters. More info about the piece can be found here. 

That Silly City Park!

I'll be quick since I'm quite busy and sick. February's Highlights High Five features one of my That's Silly illustrations (as well as my monthly work in the craft/cooking spread). Yay! My wife, daughter and myself can be seen walking below the center tree dressed in our usual cowhand gear. 

Interesting note: In the published art the parent and child crashing into the hedges at the bottom of the hill was removed.

Sneak Peek!

Here are two sneakity peekities at some upcoming illustrations I did for those wonderful folks at Highlights. The top one is for High Five and the bottom is for Highlights. Both will be available in April, 2012. Can you guess what satellite is pictured above? Keep in mind that the solar panel on the left was added to make it look more "visually acceptable." Hint: It is the most distant man made object from earth at 8.7 billion miles.

Below are some cute bunnies. The chocolate bunny snuggling up to the guy made this illustration for me. It was actually one of those happy accidents while I was drawing it.

What's Wrong, Cattle Drive?

On the back cover of the November Highlights is one of my favorite What's Wrong? illustrations to date. It was so much fun to research and put together. My wife and daughter can be seen on the horse to the back left.

Below is the line art. Sometimes I don't complete the background because I want to keep it free of line, that way it stays in the back. When I get the time I do finish up the line art just in case anyone ever decides to buy it.

The sketch is below. You'll probably note the major difference of the adding of the horns to that cattle but what you may look over is the removal of all of the udders. Ha ha!

Street Hockey!

This What's Wrong? is on the back cover of September's Highlights for Children that should be available now on newsstands. Once again I drew inspiration from my life in Philadelphia and the many sports we would play together. I think street hockey was everyone's favorite which was usually played in alley ways such as this one here. Alleys can be kind of magical places if the lighting is right - you get the sun bouncing all over the place from the reflections in the windows and the shafts of light pour down much like they would in a narrow canyon in the southwest.

By far my favorite thing in this piece is the break dancing mice in the right corner. Sometimes it's the little things, you know? In this case, hairy little things in track suits.

Give me a home...

I don't know what my fascination with the wild west is but I'm partly convinced I was born in the wrong state and at the wrong time. In 2003 I went on a solo camping trip to Wyoming and I just never felt at home here on the east coast. Late last year I discovered that my great - great - grandfather, Luke Dillon, was an army cavalrymen stationed in Wyoming so maybe it's just in my blood.

What's Wrong, Highlights? You're only 65 years old!

I was given the fun task of creating the What's Wrong? illustration for Highlights' 65th Birthday issue! It was a lot of fun to have my hand at the Highlights' regulars: the Timbertoes, Arizona (as well as her little brother and sister Tex and Indi), Goofus and Gallant, the little mouse web dude (does he have a name? he definitely needs one), and the Bear Family. The 65th Birthday issue should be on news stands now. It really is a great issue with a lot of fun surprises. Be sure to pick up a copy!

My apologies for being so long between posts. My wife has been traveling a lot for work so I have had my hands full taking care of our daughter, dog, fish, house, laundry, dishes, etc, all the while teaching and freelancing. This week I officially finished teaching (until autumn that is) so I will have more time to post stuff I have been working on. Speaking of our daughter, you can see her and I on the left side of the illustration. I made myself taller so no one would notice me but it didn't fool anyone at Highlights. I think they're on to me...