The boy calls his mother. She’s unresponsive. 
Author Archives: skook
The Home Studio Strip, Panel Two
Our boy is really starting to worry now. 
The Home Studio Strip, Panel One
Once it became apparent that having me draw an eight page comic was going to take longer than he wanted to wait the boss started thinking of ways that we could repurpose some of the ideas in the story. Our primary means of marketing in 2002 was postcards. Every month or two we would send out a postcard to clients and potential clients. It was a pretty effective way of keeping us in people’s minds. I got quite few calls that started with “I’ve had one of your postcards sitting on my desk for years …”
Anyway. Our client base broke down into three main categories – one or two person home studios, independent creative studios and the creative departments of large corporations. The boss asked me to come up with three strip ideas (one for each of our client categories) that could be used on postcards. This is the first panel of our home studio strip – a young boy comes home to find the house dark and foreboding. 
Painter Sketch of Moe
For a few years I had a copy of the program Painter on my computer. I never did much with it. It seems like a great program but I tend to learn programs when I have a project that requires their use. When I did this digital sketch of Moe in 2002 (or so) I didn’t have any color art projects on the horizon.
It Takes Skills
It’s Sunday and time for another Backyard Enterprises area rug design. Remember this one the next you spill hideous deadly chemicals. Do you have mad chemical containment skills? Why the heck not?
An Organized Storage is a Happy Storage
It’s the weekend, time for another couple of Backyard Enterprises area rug designs. This would be today’s design.
A Less Than Ideal Work Environment
The last of my audition illustrations for the lawsuit illustration work. No actual work came from the lawyer. I can’t remember whether it was because she didn’t care for my work or if Jason ended up being free the next time she needed someone or if she just didn’t have any need while I was available.
Oh Ya, Pfflecctly Fine t’Drive
Another of my audition drawings for the litigation illustration gig.
Hang Up and Drive
One of Jason‘s occasional clients was a personal injuries lawyer. He created large illustrations that she used as part of her court presentations. Since most people aren’t being photographed while they are getting hurt the illustrations were designed to give jurors a more direct picture of what had happened to the lawyer’s client. I understand that they were a pretty effective tool.
In 2002 Jasson was pretty busy with design work at Labor of Love so he suggested that I apply for the court illustration job. This is the first of three sketches I worked up.
Awesome Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
In 2002 or 2003 Labor of Love was commissioned to design a logo and menu for neighborhood minimart that was adding deli service to their offerings. They made a good variety of good sandwiches, their specialty being a philly cheesesteak that I thought was really excellent. They even offered a chicken version that I thought was even better. I prefer chicken over beef most days so I’m sure others would disagree. I did the base illustrations for the menu. Jason Oxrieder did his meticulous magic and turned them into vector art. This fat pasha is the only one that turned up in the zip disks I was cleaning off.
Saleh’s is still there but the deli service only last a year. I was never clear why they gave it up. Too expensive? Time consuming?
