Happy Halloween Illustration Promo

Traumatic Moments In a Young Boy's Life

Do kids in the animal kingdom experience this kind of embarrassment? Man, I hope not.

Crazy Cat!

It's been a crazy week! Lost our internet connection last Tuesday! Must have called our internet provider 40 times during the week. Finally they sent someone out yesterday to try and help. They say the problem is solved. Not convinced of that, yet. __Needless to say, with both my wife and I running our businesses out of our home, not having internet for almost a week was very costly. So I'm a bit wound up today...and feel like unleashing this CRAZY CAT on someone! Ah, stress....ugh.

Happy Belated Birthday to my nephew, Tyler!

My nephew, Tyler, recently celebrated a birthday! We don't live close to one another, so regrettably we don't get to see him very often. But this is one of the reasons we treasure the beach vacations we have been able to share with he and his family over the years. It's the one time we can all be together and make memories! So I thought I'd draw up some of our BEACH BUDDIES wishing him a happy birthday. Miss ya, Tyler. Happy belated birthday!

Steroids

A fascination with parking meters!

I had the pleasure of creating a piece of gift artwork from a mother to her daughter. It seems the daughter recently was hired as part of a City Planner's team. Thus, the image pertains to that and an actual occurence of an on the job experience.__So, why it might not make sense to you and me, it makes plenty of sense to the young lady who received it.

Talk about a BIG TEASE

More silliness from the ol' sketchbook. Oh, and in case you're wondering...the picture came first.

Lord only knows where this stuff comes from? :-)

Promoting Thyself!

Sharing a little e-promo piece I'm sending out today. Help a brotha' out and hire your local friendly neighborhood freelancer :-)

Another Reason I'm Glad I Work At Home

Another reason I'm glad I work at home__I don't have to deal with the tension that is, "The Office Romance."___Of course, this is coming from a guy who married his boss :-)

Old RAGBRAI Team T-shirt Illustration

Again, while cleaning out old files I came across another old illustration. This one I created (years ago) for a cycling team that rides in the famous bike ride across Iowa, known as RAGBRAI (which will actually be taking place, again, next week). Their team name was TEAM ATTITUDE. One of the male members commissioned me to create this, with very specific instructions on what he wanted. Well, I found out later that, apparently, his design didn't go over as well with the female members of the team...and they asked that the female character be eliminated from the design. Ha...oh well :-)

Unfinished Artwork

I recently came across this unfinished illustration I did years ago. Sadly, it was unfinished because the publication I was
creating it for shut down during production of that very issue.__What a bummer.

Dug up a date for the dance!

This character was part of an illustration I created recently for a midwest university. It was all about an event called, The Zombie Dance. Anyhow, I like this poor Zombie gal and thought I'd share her here. Lovely isn't she? :-)

Can you really expect the unexpected?

Life can be going along fine and then something always seems to just drop outta the sky.

Grown Son Living At Home

What's worse than your grown son living at home? Your grown son living at home is a Clown for a living.

Arm Wrestling Intimidator...Not

I suppose this doodle came out of the fact that when I was in 5th grade (and most all grades for that matter), I had arms as big as toothpicks. No one ever looked at me and felt intimidation when pondering a challenge at arm wrestling.__Fortunately, I could get my revenge when racing on the playground. Thank heavens I was fast...because with arms like those I sure wasn't gonna beat anybody up. Ha.

Another 'Monday' Wild Ride!

It's another wild Monday right outta the gate!

Boat People

You see some interesting things around a boat ramp. I didn't say, 'Pretty'. I said, 'Interesting.'

Golf Course Adventure

I enjoyed a memorable round of golf recently, that had nothing to do with the way I played (which wasn't pretty). I had hit an awful tee shot that swung off to the left, out of bounds and along the barbed-wire fence line. While looking for my ball I was startled to come upon a baby deer (probably not more than two weeks old or so), who had, somehow, gotten one of it's hind legs twisted up
and snared in the fence line. It was hanging exactly as I show it in my cartoon. Once we knew it was still alive we set to freeing it.
After about 5 minutes of cautiously working around the barbed-wire...we were able to free the fawn. Once freed the fawn did not run away but turned around, probably 4 feet from us and just stood and stared at us. It was absolutely adorable. It didn't walk away until my friend and I turned and walked back to our cart.__It was a really good feeling to be able to help out that fawn. For that I will always be thankful for my awful drive off the tee._ Take a penalty stroke but save a life. Not a bad deal.

Arnold gets around...apparently.

Okay, this is one of those toons that starts out one way and ends up something totally different by the end. I originally drew this cat laying on the floor...then turned the paper sideways, liked how it looked like he was clinging to a wall instead. So I added the telephone pole, a bulked-up mouse and WAALAA! Another goofy toon.___Wow, that creative process was so deep and thought provoking....not....(sigh).

Can't swim worth a dam!

When looking for a mate, there's a lot to consider...

Crush on the lifeguard!

Really, who hasn't had a crush on a lifeguard at some point in their life?

Celebrating my 50th Birthday...sorta!

Today's my 50th birthday! I remember thinking anyone that's 50 was OLLLLLLD! Guess that's me now. Wow, it got here fast. Still waiting for the maturity factor to kick in :-)

I really stepped in it this time!

It's tough to watch my beloved dog get old. I understand part of having an older pet means she's going to have more and more bathroom accidents in the house.__I understand this...but it doesn't make cleaning up after her any more enjoyable. Ugh!

Love how cartoons create themselves.

My favorite works are those where I lay down no pencil lines but just start inking off the cuff. Basically, my rough sketch. Such is this cartoon I did last night. I had no preconceived gag or idea of what I was going to create. I just started doodling and this was created from that. Now whether it's funny or not is debateable....ha...but I love the loosness and fun of creating it. Just thought I'd share.

A Big Fan of 'The Crocodile Hunter'!

When my daughter was a little girl she was a huge fan of Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter', who sadly passed several years ago.
I took some artistic liberty with this cartoon and showed her wrestling a crocodile...like her hero used to do.

Where the grey hairs come from.

Another image done for my daughter's graduation announcement features her fearlessness as a youngster. Doing backdives off the side of the pool or diving board when she was the tiniest thing put a few grey hairs on both her mother and I.

My little girl loves sharks!

My not-so-little girl recently graduated from high school, and as part of her graduation announcement that my wife designed, I created a number of cartoons depicting my daughter's interests and events at various points in her life. This cartoon combines her love of the beach and her lifelong interest in sharks.

Bat In Swimming Trunks

Okay, I'm lost. I have been going through and cleaning out my external harddrive, and I keep coming across images that I have no recollection of what I created them for (doesn't say much for my memory or organizational skills). For example, this image of a crazed looking bat, walking along, wearing a pair of swimming trunks.__What's up wit' dat?

After all these years...

After all these years I still love to flirt with my wife and let her know she is appreciated....among other things :-)
This is for you, Kim....and it's true.

Birdfeeder Overload

Have you ever seen a really fat bird in the wild? Me neither.

75th Birthday Gift Cartoon

What a nice surprise when a good friend from college (way back when) contacted me and asked me to create a special piece that he and his siblings could give to their father for his upcoming 75th birthday!__ I love creating these kinds of specialty gifts but it meant even more when this friend from my past thought of me for this!

Memorial Day Picnic!

On this Memorial Day as I remember all those who have passed, and who I miss dearly...like my first born son, my dad, my grandparents, my mother-in-law and many, many others...I thought they'd appreciate a little cartoon humor about how some
experience impatience waiting in line during the Memorial Day picnic.

Missing all my National Cartoonists Society Friends!

The National Cartoonists Society 65th Annual Reuben Awards are taking place in Boston from May 27-29, 2011...and I cannot tell you how much I hate missing this event. Some of my very dearest friends are folks I have met through this organization. I can honestly say, spending a weekend with a hotel full of cartoonists is good medicine! From top to bottom they are some of the most genuine, nice, talented and funniest people I have ever encountered! I miss being with all my friends but am happy they are together sharing in the laughs and the beer! I cannot wait until I can join them again...hopefully next year! Have a great weekend all my NCS friends. Oh, and a special shout out to those special NCS Scatpackers!

Manners at the breakfast table.

I enjoy the occasional breakfast at my local grocery store cafe. I've noticed that some folks eat like they were raised in the wild.

Local TV Celeb Seen Working Out

I was at the gym earlier today and I saw a local TV celebrity there working out at the same time.
I respected his privacy and left him alone.__But that doesn't mean he didn't deserve to be in his own cartoon.
I am just poking fun...I'm sure he's very nice.

Graduation Parties=Expanding Waistline

I had a great time going to numerous High School Graduation parties this weekend. The food and goodies at these parties is
just awesome! Even my best attempts at self-control and self-discipline are completely worthless...by the time I leave the last Graduation party of the day I am totally and utterly bloated.__Fortunately I have the week to get things back under control...until it all starts over again next weekend :-)

Is it raining or are Bird Dogs Flying Overhead?

The idea of actual Bird Dogs is cool to think about...until you think about the possible consequences.

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze feeling squirrelly!!!

Maybe it's this beautiful, cool Spring weather...but something has Ester B. and Blaze feeling kinda NUTS....er,...squirrelly!

I Have Great Big Brothers!

I am really blessed to have two such wonderful big brothers...and, look...they're so damn good looking, too!

Sweating Like A Dog!!!!

Yesterday in our area it was a record 95 degrees! You talk about 'Sweating like a dog.'
Ugh!___Fortunately our Spring-like 60's are in the forecast for tomorrow and the next few days
after that. A very welcome cool-down.

Yuck! It's too early to be this hot!

Just a couple of days ago I still had my heater on. Now, today, it's supposed to get above 90 degrees....YUCK! I can't believe I already turned the air conditioner on.

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze play softball!

Ester B. and Blaze play softball and once again have major malfunctions.

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze get part-time jobs at HOOTERS!

Another old Ester B. Saggin & Blaze image...this time working at Hooters. Matching outfits...matching misfits.

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze Enjoy Giant Bounce Ball

I don't know if they still make these giant bounce balls like we had back in the 70's, but that didn't stop Blaze and Ester from
enjoying a bounce around the neighborhood!

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze Go Cliff Diving

As promised, another old Ester & Blaze toon of them cliff-diving. Again,
you have to look close to see the similarity between the two characters.

Ester B. Saggin & Blaze

I always enjoyed these two characters, ESTER B. SAGGIN & BLAZE, that I created years ago and sold on a number of greeting card designs. Ester's breast and Blaze's ears were always getting them into trouble...of sorts__(What's wrong with me?). I'll see if I can't did up a few of these designs to share.

Retirement Gift Cartoons

I've been doing more and more 'Retirement-Related' commissioned pieces. They're typically given as
as a gift from either an individual or collectively from office co-workers. They're very personalized to
those receiving them (which is why they don't always make sense to anyone else looking at them),
and I have to say they're a lot of fun to create, and the feedback is always rewarding.__The attached
is a recent example of such a piece.

Bad Weather-Scared Dog!

These Spring storms that roll through here in the midwest are always unpredictable...but what is predictable is my dog not handling the thunder and lightening in a calmly manner.

Doggone fun weekend!

I battled a nasty respiratory cold all weekend, which limited my fun.
But that doesn't mean I don't hope you tore it up and had a blast with
good friends. Party for those who can't :-)

70's Doggie Style

As a teenager of the 70's, I will forever hold a special place in my heart for the elevator shoes, silk shirts and such that we wore
with such pride...only to deny later in life that we would ever have worn such a thing. __ The female dog's outfit on the other hand...is timeless (or just sad, ha).