Lightbringer

Happy New Year everyone!!!
It's been an interesting year for me. I drink coffee now! I sorta figured out how to do my taxes! I did some fanart for the first time since jr. high! New jobs, new friends, new places (and a new imac!) It's been a lot of fun, and I want to thank every person that has made it that way-- my family & Sam, my buddies here and across the internet, my art directors, my students, and everyone in between.

(P.S. Twitter was a fun new discovery this year and a nice way to talk with great illustrators. I'll probably be doing a twitter print giveaway in January...my twitter account @kalidraws will be dispensing updates a little later on!)

Anyway, I figured I'd cap off my blog posts for the year with the last horoscope illustration I did before starting my current Amtrak project...
Saggitarius! The archer, a storyteller who brings light and laughter into "the darkest time of the year."

The first sketch was a dud, so I tried a more modern style for the second sketch which I liked better. Ultimately my lovely AD Anthony Arias decided on the 3rd sketch, but with the request that it get slightly more sexy. (which in my mind equated to less waifishness & extra body armor for tough love)




Looking back, I think I spent most of the year in my own "safe zone" and I'd like to gather up more new experiences next year. Art-wise, location-wise, everything! Woo woo!
Best wishes dear readers, and I hope you all have a safe and happy 2011!

"A Beauty, A Beauty"

So I took a break from drawing trains and drew a knight instead.

Here's Brienne of Tarth, from the Song of Ice and Fire series. She's a naive young woman with idealistic views about knighthood and honor. She also happens to wield a morning-star, is like 6'4" and super big, a strong fighter, and has a broad, ugly face with a broken nose, limp flaxen hair, and huge lips/teeth. Her one "pretty" feature is her large, clear blue eyes. She's a really interesting character. I probably drew her a little prettier than she should be.

Sam & I are huge fans of the Song of Ice and Fire series (read 'em!) which will also soon be released as a new HBO show, Game of Thrones. We've been thinking of doing some fanart from the books and then making a tumblr together...we'll see, once we both have some more free time!

TINY PEOPLE

This blog post is a TRIPLE THREAT because I'm posting THREE different kid-related spot assignments, all from Family Circle magazine, from different times this year. OH YEAH!

Jr. High back-to-school scenarios (sweep the leg!):

Different stages of childhood development, from newborns to early-teens:

(While working on this, I was listening to the Harry Potter audiobooks and secretly imagined the 14 yr-old trying to buy robitussin as Ron Weasley. I've since tried to include Rons or people wearing R's in other illustrations)

The Boy's & Girl's club of America, encouraging creative after school activities (the ginger is not a Ron specifically, but close enough):


Thanks for looking! (and maybe reliving awkward Jr. High memories with me)

How to Fly your Cat Plane

So yesterday Sam & I watched "How to Train Your Dragon" while we were working. It was a frustrating day, we were both having issues with color, and it felt like I was banging my head against a wall. I was having a bit of tunnel-vision, so I thought I needed to shake things up somehow. The movie was fine, there was some good stuff and some not-as-good stuff, but it was sort of fun to note all the behaviors that the dragons in the movie and regular cats had in common. So, I thought I'd apply the principle of "Dragons are essentially flying cats with fire" to our own cat, Ripley, and do a quick drawing for fun.
Then, of course, since Sam & I both have Norwegian backgrounds I had to put us in there as Vikings.

Ripley is a feisty, stout, loud American Bobtail, and she just has a little stub tail that waggles when she's excited. She's named after Sigourney Weaver's character in the Alien movies.
Ripley, on a hot day.
Makes me wish I had more time for fun little doodles! And drawing people I know as Vikings.