Saturday, March 31, 2012

Bolt for Ansel



Unfortunate evidence that I am better at drawing cartoon dogs that I am at rendering my own offspring.  Ansel told me, "I don't like me," and insisted that I include his glasses... probably to make sure that people would be able to recognize him.

Chrome Dragon for Archer


Today was one of the very rare occasions that I managed to finish the napkins before midnight the night before school.  Unfortunately, doing them early only means that it takes longer and the kids have changed their minds by the time Monday morning arrives.  

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Kids in Cowls




A profile picture of sorts for the kids.  They were quite displeased when I asked them to pose as I interrupted them as they were charging around the house in full Bat-regalia....and then they had to pose again after the napkin was done, a double imposition.  They were reasonably happy with the results, none the less.  Archer asked if he could take it to school as his lunch napkin on Monday.  Based on past experience, it seems highly unlikely that it will not be upstaged by another request by then.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Subway Illustration



As the kids are not in school for the next few days and there will be no lunches to pack, I thought I would post something else.  While not a napkin, it does feature many of the same sorts of characters.  This is a practice illustration that I worked on last year, mostly to try to teach myself how to paint using photoshop.

The long, narrow format is based on the "Art Cards" done by various illustrators and produced by the New York MTA.  When the kids were younger and we took the train to school every day, we spent a lot of time discussing them.

In this case, it is a subway car full of fictional characters, mostly appealing to children.

From left to right, including, but not comprehensively:
Dumbledore, Chingachgook (Last of the Mohicans), Dorothy, Wicked Witch, Ulhura, Spider Man, Sherlock Holmes, Red Riding Hood, Jeannie (I Dream of), Annie Oakley like woman in western gear, Steve from Blue’s Clues, Xena, Super Man, Han Solo, Peter Pan, Wonder Woman, The Man with the Yellow Hat and Curious George’s foot, Captain Rex, Count of Monte Cristo, Scout, the Seventh Samurai, Indiana Jones, Hermione, The Scarecrow, Alice, Sleeping Beauty, Pippi Longstocking, Cat Woman, Ahab, Captain America, Princess Leia, Mario, the Mummy, Christopher Robin, Robin, Mace Windu, The Tin Man, Tia (Princess and the Frog), Storm... and others too partial to mention.

Four Sections of Subway Illustration





Thursday, March 22, 2012

Super Hero Bulldog for Archer


Archer says he really wants a pet bulldog.  He originally asked for an image of a bulldog beating a greyhound in a race.  I told him that might be difficult.  His father added that the only greyhound who would lose to a bulldog would probably have no more than one leg.  We compromised on the superhero image.  In this case perhaps the superhero powers overcome the anatomical limitations... and my poor use of perspective.

Burrowing Owl for Ansel


Perhaps this is the last owl in the series.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Wind-up Knight and Garfield for Archer



I don't much care for Garfield, but it seemed to me that his relations with Wind-up Knight should not be adversarial.  Instead, it appears that they are doing calisthenics together...

Elf Owl in Cactus for Ansel

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Cupcake defeats Sword Fighting Master for Archer



Cuteness and violence- the kids' favorite combination.
Although it has been accurately pointed out to me, that it is equally possible that the knight was carrying the bear and sword and slipped on a patch of wet grass.

Great Horned Owl for Ansel

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Wind-up Knight with Green Bean for Archer



Archer requested Wind-up Knight for his napkin again, despite being stuck in the game, and unable to afford the special armor.  There were green beans in the lunch box.

Laika for Ansel



Ansel loves dogs and has been studying space in school, but I suspect that they did not discuss Laika's ultimate fate.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Wind-up and Black Knight for Archer

Puss in Boots with Strawberry for Ansel



Before watching "Puss in Boots,"  I was pretty enthusiastic about it.  I insisted that we watch it rather than watching an execrable Garfield movie yet again.  The kids were sure it was going to be "stupid."  After viewing, they loved it and I.....well, I thought it was better than the Garfield movie.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Wind-up Knight Shirt with iPod

Wind-up Knight T-Shirt



No school tomorrow, thus, no napkins.
But I "owed" Archer a t-shirt, having painted two for his brother already.
He told me making a Wind-up Knight shirt was probably unnecessary, given the popularity of the game, he argued, commercial shirts would soon be available, and that would be better...
But mass produced Knight shirts would probably not be wearing the specific armor that he had spent his allowance on...