Alright, I'll Write

For No Reason

2012-01-23T00:23:00.000-05:00

After a full day of some pretty awesome football, I was feeling the need to do something productive (or in this case, "productive"). I had this old piece of museum board staring at me from a corner for the better part of year, and a file named "DrawThis108190158.jpeg" that I had saved to my computer's desktop (I have no idea what it is, or from where it came).

Museum board is a 100% terrible for use with watercolors, so I did this one just to stave off going to bed on a Sunday night.

That Hipster, Still at the Train Station

2012-01-16T22:24:00.000-05:00

I started this guy last week. Here he is in finished form.
From here on, I'm going to do my best to not use the term "hipster". I'm tired of it.

Nerd Street

2012-01-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

Like it of lump it, I'm just going to consider this one a fun Easter egg for Indy Hallers.

A Hipster at the Train Station

2012-01-11T00:13:00.001-05:00

Here's a pencil drawing of a guy I saw not too long ago while waiting for a train back into town.

I was going to wait until it was finished to show you, but what the hell, I like it. Plus I have some other projects I'm working on, and I want you to see that I'm working pretty much every night. Even though I can't always get something up on the blog.

Plus, who doesn't love a process post?

Satchel Paige

2012-01-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

While waiting for baseball season a few weeks ago, I got to watching Ken Burns' Baseball--I had never seen it before. I enjoyed it as much as I expected, but the stuff that really seemed fresh were the stories of the negro leagues. It was staggering to see all those names who played against and with each other. I guess I had never thought about it before.

Satchel Paige was particularly fascinating. I knew he pitched until a much later age than the typical ball player, but I didn't know he was still going as he pushed 60 years old. I also loved that he kept the ball hidden from the batter behind his planting foot, and had an absurd pitching motion.

He also had his Rules for Staying Young, which I enjoyed so much that I had to make them part of the drawing above:

"Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood."
"If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts."
"Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move."
"Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society—the social ramble ain't restful."
"Avoid running at all times."
"And don't look back—something might be gaining on you."

There's still plenty of time before spring training, so I may have another one or two of these in me. Josh Gibson comes to mind.

Singing Harmonies

2011-12-27T11:29:00.000-05:00

I've had a tough go lately of producing work that I hadn't felt we've both seen a thousand times already, but I like what came out with this new drawing.

I listen to a lot of folky sounding groups with harmonies and all that, and the song below had been bouncing around in my head for a while (particularly around the 3:10ish mark). So the drawing above is an attempt to exorcise it from my brain in order to make room for a new song to sing while washing the dishes, or walking to work, or whatever.

The Work Week

2011-12-09T09:14:00.000-05:00

I have a day job that I actually enjoy a lot. But do anything enough, and it can seem a little monotonous. I'm sure you can relate. That's why we watch baseball, or click on links to Justin Bieber's moustache.

Anyway, as a means of escaping that feeling of deja vu in the workplace, I had some fun with it and made the animated .gif below. (You have to click it to see it animated.)

Cliff Lee Signed My Drawing

2011-12-01T08:08:00.000-05:00

I did a drawing of Cliff Lee preparing for Hurricane Irene back in the summer, and it was very kindly picked up by folks at The 700 Level.

In light of The 700 Level's Eagles viewing party tonight at Misconduct, I was thinking about this drawing, and went to dig it up so I could have a chuckle. I couldn't find it. I started checking everywhere, and soon, my house was torn up. I found plenty of half-finished drawings from 2005, and plenty of other stupid drawings of Cliff Lee, but not the one above. I started asking people if I had given it away to them. No one had it. I was completely lost as to its whereabouts.

Then my brother came in and asked if the drawing in his hand was the one I was looking for. Before I could give him guff for watching me tear up the house and not say anything while he had it the whole time, I realized that the drawing was marked in the top corner. My brothers had stolen the drawing and gotten Cliff Lee to sign it. It was supposed to be a surprise. Oops.

AND, they got him to sign it with his full name, Clifton Phifer Lee--which is how we refer to him around these parts, due to his authority on the pitching mound.

Dude, Cliff Lee signed my drawing.

Big ups to my brothers for their stealth drawing-stealing abilities, and for making my day.

Herman Cain Just Wants a Piece

2011-11-09T01:59:00.000-05:00

Tom Waits

2011-10-26T23:44:00.000-04:00

I just recently got into Tom Waits' stuff, thanks to Spotify, and didn't want to waste any time drawing him. The music is so eclectic, you can't help but totally dig it. Plus, his features are so drawable and fun.

I also really enjoyed cutting up these different pieces of sand paper for the musical notes.

Two People Sharing an Umbrella

2011-10-17T22:04:00.000-04:00

I thought of this one while walking in the rain with my umbrella.

The WTF Files: Flower Head

2011-10-13T00:10:00.001-04:00

When I flip back through my sketchbooks after some stream-of-conscious doodling, I refer to the weirder drawings as the WTF Files. I have no idea where these doodles come from in my brain, but there they are on the page.

I thought it’d be fun to maybe turn a few of these into something (slightly) more polished. So here’s a guy with a flower garden growing out of his head.

Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt Riding a Tandem Bike Together

2011-09-29T01:29:00.000-04:00

In case you were curious as to what that might look like.

Re-re-re-release

2011-09-27T22:20:00.000-04:00

If you loved your favorite album the first time you bought it, imagine how much you'll love those same songs after the fourth purchase. Or the sixth. Or the (whatever number we're at with Bob Marley's Greatest Hits repackagings).

Olde Pompadour

2011-09-25T02:23:00.001-04:00

I don't remember exactly how it came about, but for years, there's been a running joke about creating a beer and calling it Olde Pompadour, after our friend's amazing head of hair.

In honor of his bachelor party (and his upcoming marriage, of course) some friends got together in a garage and made the beer happen. They were very kind to ask me to do the Victorian-inspired drawing around which Steve Pimpinella, one of the brewers, made the awesome label that you can see below.

Everyone REALLY enjoyed the beer (and the label).

This Jersey Shore Thing is Getting Old

2011-09-24T23:43:00.000-04:00

It's been a slow Saturday night, so I caught some of the current Jersey Shore season, the one filmed in Italy. With each episode, I felt like I was saying to myself, "Wait, haven't I seen this one before?"

Don't get me wrong, in my vegetative state, I watched anyway, but how long is MTV going to be trotting these people out? I began to wonder what, say, Pauly D, would look like as an elder statesman.

Proof of Life

2011-09-15T23:09:00.000-04:00

I'm not dead, I've just been busy with other projects--some of which may appear here at a later date (some won't). Some involved just reading a book at night instead of drawing.

As proof that I'm still working, I submit to you these quick-ish drawings of some folks I recently saw on the subway (one of my favorite subjects to draw).

Thanks for your patience and for making your way back.

Cliff Lee Is Ready for Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T23:14:00.000-04:00

And have you seen Cliff Lee explaining the importance of pitching deep into games?

Or Cliff Lee reacting to the death of Osama bin Laden?

Or Cliff Lee riding a unicorn, posted by the great guys at The Fightins?

Steve Jobs

2011-08-24T22:58:00.001-04:00

I'm not a maniac for Apple products (though I have a few), but for some reason, I felt it necessary to draw Steve Jobs tonight after news of his resignation blew up Twitter. Maybe it's because it seems as though he's in his prime in every way, and this resignation is because of something that is beyond his control.

Don't Fear Baldness: Eyebrow Comb Over

2011-08-18T23:10:00.001-04:00

In questioning my own follicular integrity lately, I decided that, like death, baldness should not be feared. There are plenty of ways that a bald man can roll with the punches. Here's one of them.

See them all by clicking here.

Don't Fear Baldness: Wear a Whig

2011-08-16T23:13:00.004-04:00

In questioning my own follicular integrity lately, I decided that, like death, baldness should not be feared. There are plenty of ways that a bald man can roll with the punches. Here's one of them.

This one may require some explanation. So, if you have time, I recommend you read the first paragraph here to learn about the American Whig Party.

See all the Don't Fear Baldness drawings by clicking here.

Don't Fear Baldness: Hair Tattoo

2011-08-15T23:29:00.002-04:00

In questioning my own follicular integrity lately, I decided that, like death, baldness should not be feared. There are plenty of ways that a bald man can roll with the punches. Here's one of them.

See them all by clicking here.

Cole Hamels Signing that Summer of Love Poster

2011-08-14T23:09:00.006-04:00

Unbenknowst to me, my brother has been collecting signatures on a print he had made of my Phillies poster. Last week, he got Cole Hamels to sign it, and he sent me this shot. Pretty awesome of him.

He said that Cole dug the poster a lot, and I dig that he dug it. Dig?

Don't Fear Baldness: Reverse Mohawk

2011-08-14T19:15:00.005-04:00

In questioning my own follicular integrity lately, I decided that, like death, baldness should not be feared. There are plenty of ways that a bald man can roll with the punches. Here's one of them.

See them all by clicking here.

Gamblers Three of MLB

2011-08-09T23:03:00.006-04:00

Even though it's last week's news, I still thought it'd be a funny picture to see A-Rod hanging out with other notable "legends" of baseball, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and Pete Rose.

Hunter Pence Wearing Cliff Lee's Cowboy Boots

2011-08-03T00:23:00.002-04:00

I was goofing around tonight, and this came out.

Yacht Rock

2011-07-19T19:50:00.005-04:00

I had been feeling nostalgic since seeing Michael McDonald perform with The Roots on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway this past 4th of July.

Scenes from the Subway

2011-07-11T00:25:00.004-04:00

When I take the Broad Street line home from Phillies games on Sundays, I try to pay attention to the people around me.

Gaslight Anthem

2011-07-06T22:05:00.005-04:00

I could get into specifics about what I think is so great about these guys, but you're likely busy, and I respect your time.

But I do love the Gaslight Anthem. My brother got me into them (he's a dead ringer for Brian Fallon, by the way), and their show in Asbury Park last summer stands as one of the best nights I can remember--ever. I'm talking, like, I felt like I had changed when I got home from that show--which, as a relatively practical person, I realize is an absurd thing to say. But I was unemployed at the time, and that show really woke me up from a funk. It was a big deal, and I'm yet to be able to explain anything about it. Maybe it was like the time my mom saw ELO: "They had LASERS, Michael!"

Anyway, I genuinely love what these guys do.

Cliff Lee Explains Pitching Deep Into the Game

2011-06-22T00:18:00.005-04:00

Saw this on Twitter, via @The700Level:

RT @jrfingerCSN: actual Cliff Lee quote: "Anytime you can go nine innings and they don’t score you have to be happy with that."

I genuinely enjoy the way Cliff Lee makes everything look so easy. Like, there's nothing he couldn't effortlessly do better than just about anyone around him.

Rock and Roll Creation

2011-06-20T23:11:00.008-04:00

I'm contributing to the Crazy 4 Cult show at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles, and I was lucky enough to snag This Is Spinal Tap as the movie around which I would base my contribution.

This isn't just one of my favorite movies of all time, it's one of my favorite things ever. When I went to Stonehenge in 2005, the tour guide offered me headphones to use for the audio tour of the site, but I declined and pointed to my iPod, where I had Spinal Tap's "Stonehenge" queued up and ready to go when I got off the bus. I'm not kidding. She thought I was a real ass (I probably was).

I know I'm not alone in my love for this movie--bajillions of others hold it near and dear at least as much as I do. So needless to say, I was super pumped--and terrified--to come up with something that wouldn't insult all the Spinal Tap fans out there.

After months of thumbnails, tons of editing of ideas, and lots of emails to friends, I came up with the image above. One of the reasons the movie is eminently re-watchable is because a lot of the humor is subtle--and I always appreciate seeing Bruno Kirby holding that sign greeting the band off the plane at the very beginning. It's a great foreshadowing of things to come. I hope that, like the movie, you find yourself looking over the drawing a few times to make sure you got everything. Maybe some day soon, if I have the time, I will draw everyone from the movie--Duke Fame, Sir Denis Eton-Hogg, the mimes from Shut Up and Eat--all the people I had on the list for the drawing, but had to be cut out due to time/sanity constraints.

If you know someone who lives in the area and might be able to check out the show, please tell him or her to take tons of photos and send them my way.

And, if you know someone who has a copy of that supposed four-hour cut of the movie, call me ASAP, because we need to talk.

Uncle Charlie Signing My Drawing

2011-06-08T20:08:00.004-04:00

Here's Charlie Manuel signing a print of my Summer of Love drawing, courtesy of my brother.

Shell Shock

2011-05-30T21:53:00.008-04:00

UPDATE: Vanilla Ice himself has seen and approved this drawing.

I had to blow the cobwebs off the blog after nearly a month of not doing anything with it. Sorry about that. If it's any consolation, no one missed much of anything.

I'm participating in a Ninja Turtles-themed show from the Autumn Society that opens this Friday, June 3, at Brave New Worlds in Old City. I'm told that an actual, real-life Turtle Van will be there, which is bonkers.

I'm in my late 20s, so the Turtles were a big deal growing up. When the first two movies came out, I remember wanting to see them badly--especially the second one, because Vanilla Ice was in it. My brother had the To the Extreme tape, but he wouldn't share it, so seeing that movie was going to provide some much-desired access to the ice man.

My musical tastes have since changed, but this drawing brought back a lot of fun memories. And just for the record, big ups to my mom for those awesome hand-made Turtles costumes all those Halloweens.

Hope to see you at the show. There will be some incredible work on the walls.

Cliff Lee Reacts to the News That Osama bin Laden Has Been Killed

2011-05-02T23:29:00.004-04:00

I was at the ballpark on Sunday night when the bin Laden news broke.

This article from Matt Gelb contains a quote from Cliff Lee on the matter that I thought was worth doodling.

A Music Critic Finally Hears Something He Likes

2011-04-28T11:20:00.007-04:00

Have you ever read a review, say, on pitchfork.com?

That Unicorn Drawing

2011-04-22T10:29:00.006-04:00

This drawing--based on a tweet by @tonyisdynamic, and done because I couldn't get to sleep on Tuesday night--found its way onto The Fightins yesterday. Make no mistake about it: for a guy who makes goofy drawings of baseball players, this was like doing the cover of the New Yorker. It was accompanied by some kind words, and a generous plug to my website. Thanks to Tony and The Fightins.

If you inquired about a print, I can offer you a link to a high resolution file so you can print your own (I don't want to get involved with MLB's legal department). No pixelation on that bad boy.

Thanks to everyone who checked out my stuff. Let's all hang out some time.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Quip

2011-04-18T21:32:00.010-04:00

If you've been to a sporting event or two in Philadelphia, you've likely witnessed one of the many free-with-admission "comedy" shows that are put on by a local in the crowd on a given night. The person decides that whether everyone else likes it or not, he's going to provide audio commentary to the game with his own flavor of cursing and awful jokes. An aficionado--or just someone who can read--will also notice that this person oftentimes mistakenly refers to last year's Cy Young Award winner as Roy Holiday.

I read this post over the weekend, and I found it apropos of this drawing on which I'd been working. Greg Hoy nailed it--those who curse and yell insults are an embarrassment to everyone.

Most of my experiences with hecklers come from Phillies games--but I've been to a few Flyers and Eagles games in my day, and their presence is definitely felt there too. Why can't we just enjoy the game for ourselves, and not at the cost of someone else's experience? And who cares what logo is screen-printed on another fan's t-shirt? Who cares? And why should you?

Full discretion--when I was younger and dumber, I tried my hand at being funny a few times. Each time, I just felt like a jerk when the game was over. Then I grew up. I'm in my late twenties now, and I get that as a contributing member to society, my time in a shared public place should not interfere negatively with that of someone else. The man on whom I based the drawing above was probably in his late 40s, and on a crisp night in south Philadelphia, he was sweating from all the work he was putting into making sure everyone heard him.

What can be most frustrating about a heckler is not that his commentary is unwelcome (and unfunny), it's that he revels in his own small-mindedness. Don't ask him to keep it down for your kid's sake, or your girlfriend's (call me old-fashioned), because if you're not with him, you're against him. And when you're against him, he will forgo watching the game to focus all of his energies into ruining your experience. I can't count how many times I've heard someone defiantly respond to a polite request to quiet down with something along the lines of, "Oh! I thought this was a baseball game, not a library! Is this a library? Are you a librarian? Hey, librarian, do you mind if I clap my hands when Roy Holiday strikes this guy out?"

Sprinkle in some f-bombs, and you can almost smell the crab fries in right field.

In a rare instance of solidarity, I agree with the heckler in this case--it is a baseball game. But it is not open mic night.

The Phillies are considered an elite team in baseball. One that garners a national spotlight. They're one of the few go-to teams when ESPN takes a night off from showing Red Sox or Yankees games. Can we please act like people who deserve that spotlight when we go to a game? Just because someone pays the price of admission (welcome to the club), that does not entitle him to infringe upon the experience of everyone else around him.

Be someone whose opinion is sought and valued, not someone whose opinion is forced on the masses.

I Drew Joe Blanton

2011-04-17T09:05:00.002-04:00

(Author's note: this one was written before Saturday's game was postponed.)

In honor of drawing the fifth starter for today's Phillies game, I decided to draw the fifth starter. (Hilarious.)

My brothers and I have Sunday plan tickets for the Phillies, and they have grown accustomed in the last few years to joking that we always draw the fifth starter when we go to games. Given that this year's fifth starter, Joe Blanton--whom my brothers call Heavy B--is last year's third starter, I thought it'd be funny to complain about drawing the fifth starter again today.

Aside from being a pretty good pitcher, I'll never forget seeing that World Series home run in person.

Phone Doodles

2011-04-06T00:48:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to figure out a somewhat large project, so I haven't had much to post lately. These doodles were done on a piece of scrap board, over the course of a few phone calls at my desk.

One of My Favorite Days of the Year

2011-03-27T09:05:00.008-04:00

NERD ALERT:

Today is my fantasy baseball draft, one of my favorite days of the year. Fantasy football is OK, but if I do well with that, it's really more luck than--wow, I almost typed skill.

Our baseball league is a year-round thing. Twelve teams, each team keeps eight guys, and has an additional five "farm" spots for prospects and rookies. So guys like Jesus Montero--or Dom Brown--were taken at least a year ago.

Anyway, I'll be geeking out on baseball stats today with 11 other grown men. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some last minute preparation to do.

Say What?

2011-03-21T00:51:00.004-04:00

The Phillies picked up Luis Castillo off the Mets' scrap heap on Sunday, so I figured I'd draw this one in an effort to get used to him wearing the red as soon as possible.

I have no problem with the move, as it's only a minor league deal, and there's really no risk involved in it--but it does beg the question: How many players does it take to replace one Chase Utley?

No, I have no plans to add Castillo to the Summer of Love drawing.

It's That Time of Year Again...

2011-03-15T02:09:00.006-04:00

Today marks the first official day of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which means it's that time of year when everyone I know dusts off his basketball-shaped helmet from his college days (or the last bachelor party he went to), and seems to genuinely care about basketball.

Admittedly, I'm a casual fan at best. But I welcome the excitement that surrounds this week as a distraction from reading about baseball players "getting their work in" at spring training. I don't have a team, really, because I forewent normal-people school to study drawing for four years. So until someone I know quits his job to attend USC, and lets me sleep on his couch while there, I'll continue to pull for the locals--the Original Don Draper (Jay Wright)'s Villanova, and my adopted school, Temple.

Once the last upset is out of the way, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming, checking back in for the championship.

Fitz & the Tantrums. Again.

2011-03-12T22:58:00.009-05:00

(I truly hate music reviews, but:)

Since seeing Fitz and the Tantrums in January at World Cafe Live, I've been playing their album non-stop on either my iPod, or my turntable. Even when I've thought it's time for a break, I've found myself bumping it. So, while I'll continue to tell any and everyone to buy the album, I felt like I needed to do this drawing so I could move on and enjoy other music--my other records have been looking on with puppy dog eyes, and they deserve my attention.

In all seriousness, though, these guys are so the jam.

Seen on the Street

2011-03-06T21:52:00.002-05:00

Saw these people yukking it up in LOVE park the other day.

Phillies Drawing-->Phillies Poster

2011-03-01T19:40:00.010-05:00

With Cliff Lee riding the (spring training) L train home today, I thought some people might start getting worried that the Phils are human, and could therefore use a touch of hyperbole to cheer themselves up.

Enter this 11.25" x 14.75" self-promo poster.

I only have a few right now, but that could change, if you want one. You can also just download one automatically for yourself by clicking here (don't worry, the link is to a page on my website).

Sunday on the Subway

2011-02-27T22:49:00.005-05:00

Been a while since I put up any sketchbook business, so here are some drawings from people I saw on the Market-Frankford line today.

From Scratch

2011-02-20T23:20:00.014-05:00

Because I find it interesting when others do this--and because I'm running the show--I've posted below all the progress shots I took as I worked on that Phillies drawing from last week.

Summer of Love, 2011

2011-02-17T21:18:00.010-05:00

Last year, I was so excited for the then-upcoming Phillies season, that I did a series of drawings and writings called Phillie a Day. This year, I've put all my efforts into one drawing.

There has been no shortage of Phillies-related opinions and pontifications since Cliff Lee agreed to come back in December--talking about the team has been easier than talking about the weather around the city--so there's not really much I can add to the conversation here. I'm just a grown man drawing in admiration of other grown men who play baseball better than I do.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming Summer of Love. Hopefully I'll see you at the park.

Keepin' On

2011-02-08T22:58:00.002-05:00

And here's to post number 100!

Still Going

2011-02-07T23:20:00.004-05:00

Second shift continues on this drawing. I'm aiming for this weekend to finish it up. But don't hold me to it.

Chipping Away

2011-02-06T20:37:00.004-05:00

As I listen to the Super Bowl, I'm still chipping away at this epic drawing. Here's another piece of it in-progress. Still a ways to go, but the illustration board is beginning to look like what's in my head.

New Drawing In Progress

2011-02-03T22:54:00.008-05:00

It has been a while since I last posted, but I have been drawing. My latest project is shaping up to be somewhat epic--if such a thing is possible. I'm still in the pencil drawing phase, but here is a small taste. Care to take a guess on who this is?

Fitz & the Tantrums

2011-01-18T01:14:00.005-05:00

If you have ever waited for an inter-office email from me, you know that I'm capable of writing the email, but flaking out on hitting the Send button. Well, I flaked out on this one. I wrote this post immediately upon arriving home from seeing these guys on January 18, and I forgot to hit the Publish button. Since then, they've been getting more and more attention, including from Perez Hilton, who's, like, kind of a big deal, depending on whom you ask. If you live in the Philadelphia area, you may know that they're XPN's February Artist to Watch.

I just want to share this band, Fitz & the Tantrums with anyone who stumbles upon this blog. I saw them tonight at World Cafe Live, and I'm completely smitten with (Noelle and the rest of) them.

Thanks for signing my record, guys.

Final Thoughts on Happy Thoughts

2011-01-17T15:39:00.005-05:00

Having been sick the past week, and with the sketchbook getting sent back tomorrow, I thought I'd share some final highlights of my Happy Thoughts sketchbook for Sketchbook Project. Seen above are a guy with a rim of hair, the This Year's Model album cover, the thought of singing like Michael McDonald, and Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter.

I had a lot of fun challenging myself to fill the book, and I found myself trying some new stuff to keep it interesting. Can't wait to apply some of it to my illustration board drawings.

Thanks for viewing.

Snow Day

2011-01-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Thoughts from the Phillies Game, or, A Corny One

2011-01-04T23:17:00.006-05:00

While working on this Happy Thoughts sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project, I realized today that I'm yet to draw anything related to the thing that makes me the happiest--watching the Phillies.

Two of my brothers and I share a Sunday ticket plan (we go to every Sunday home game), which means we also get to purchase postseason tickets. It is an awesome experience sitting next to the two of them, going bonkers and watching the Phils win (the three of us have never sat together for a playoff loss--though I have seen my fair share without them [Ryan Howard not swinging in game six of the NLCS last year comes to mind--oh, and, as John Kruk put it, Fred McGriff "killing a family of four in the upper deck" in game two of the 1993 NLCS]).

The photo from which I made this drawing is a low resolution snapshot (seen even lower below) taken by a well-intentioned but shaky-handed fan sitting next to us. I thought drawing it would give us a higher resolution memory of the game (which, if you're curious, was game two of the NLCS, in which one of my favorite pitchers ever, Roy Oswalt, pretty much threw bullets all night at the Giants).

Anyway, all that said, I thought it was time to throw a Phillies-related drawing into the mix for the Sketchbook Project. I'll probably have a few more to add before I send the sketchbook back. If you've made it down to this paragraph, thanks for staying with me on this one, I'll buy you a beer at the ballpark next year.

More Happy Thoughts

2011-01-02T22:14:00.003-05:00

Filling in some more pages for Sketchbook Project.

Click to enlarge, as some of the inks I've been messing with don't show up so well on the scanned image.

John Lennon

2010-12-31T09:57:00.003-05:00

I wanted to test out this bottle of gold ink that I bought yesterday, so I did this drawing of John Lennon, the patron saint of people who make stuff (while watching one of my favorite movies of all time, HELP!).

Lo, from an Angel on High-Note...

2010-12-25T05:25:00.001-05:00

Barry Gibb-mas to all.

And Happy Birthday to my brother, Kevin.

More Happy Thoughts Pages

2010-12-20T23:57:00.003-05:00

Sketchbook Project: Man in Spandex Playing A Trumpet While Riding on Rollerblades

2010-12-19T23:53:00.008-05:00

No, the title of this blog post is not a Fiona Apple reference.

I saw this guy yesterday while walking down the Ben Franklin Parkway. To protect his identity, I did not draw the mad bomber hat that he was actually wearing when I saw him.

Sketchbook Project: Human Cannonball

2010-12-19T21:36:00.001-05:00

It's Morning in Philadelphia

2010-12-14T03:11:00.005-05:00

Cliff Lee is coming back to Philadelphia.

When he came here at the trade deadline in 2009, it was the first time in my life that the Phils weren't looking at B-level solutions in July. They wanted an ace, and if they couldn't get one team's ace (Roy Halladay from Toronto), they were going to get someone else's--Cliff Lee, in this case. When Lee arrived, it felt like we had arrived too (that, and winning a World Series the year before and all).

When I heard last night that the Phillies were really in on Lee, the first thing I thought of was the ninth inning of Game One of the NLDS in 2009:

Cliff Lee was killing the Rockies, and making it look easy. Two of my brothers and I, sitting just foul of the right field pole in the upper deck, were amongst a crowd that was going bonkers. The scene was so nuts, in fact, that it was maybe the only time I've ever seen a player realize his moment, and want to soak it in. Cliff Lee stepped off the mound, just to look around the stadium. We were chanting his name, the echoes of which were shaking the cement under our feet.

So, after being traded before the 2010 season, and with his return via free agency, it's not just that the Phils have scored the premier player on the market--it's that he wanted to be here all along. With his arrival, it feels like we've arrived again too.

Or maybe he's just, like, really really good at baseball, and I'm just a grown man who makes drawings in admiration of other grown men. David Murphy is much better at this than I am.

Any way you slice it, though, it's morning in Philadelphia.

Sketchbook Project: Flying

2010-12-13T00:30:00.006-05:00

Another from my sketchbook for Sketchbook Project 2011. If I could choose one superpower--aside from being left-handed--it would be to fly.

Sketchbook Project: Stevie Wonder

2010-12-12T22:10:00.006-05:00

I finally started working on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project last week, and, as I listen to the Eagles against the Cowboys, I thought I'd share a little. My assignment is Happy Thoughts, so giving Stevie Wonder a page or two seemed inevitable.

Work Going on Display

2010-12-06T23:25:00.005-05:00

I'll be hanging some work this week at A Full Plate, a cafe at the Piazza. Come hang out and look at some artwork this Thursday night, December 9.

http://www.afullplate.com/

1040 N. American Street

Philadelphia, PA 19123

215.627.4068

New Promo Cards Are Here

2010-12-03T00:11:00.004-05:00

Kanye West

2010-11-30T01:14:00.000-05:00

Some thoughts on Kanye West:

He thinks big, and he does big. Whether you hate the final product, love it, or are somewhere in between, it can't be denied that his music bleeds ambition. He has pushed me to give up an extra hour or two of sleep way more times than I can count--because I can see how high (and higher, and higher) he sets the bar for himself, and consequently, everyone else. And I love any artist who reminds me what I'm capable of.

He pays attention, absorbs, forms an opinion, and then he responds honestly. That's a real deal artist. And regardless of whether you agree with whatever he says or does--I know I don't always--it's refreshing to see someone comfortable/uncomfortable enough in his own skin to constantly flirt with the sun.

One more thing: I saw Kanye West in concert in, like, 2006. I was way up high, in the back. Maybe this was staged--or maybe it wasn't--but he stopped his show in mid-song to question a guy in the front row, who chose, as was his right, to stay seated while everyone else at the venue excitedly jumped to the music. Eventually, the sitting guy was asked what he paid for his ticket, and I think he said something like $100. West took a wad a cash out from his jacket, counted off $200, gave it to the guy, and told him to leave--and the guy did it! As I remember, he said that if you weren't feeling his music from even the front row, then you weren't listening, and he didn't want to perform for anyone who wasn't listening. I think he also said something along the lines of, "It's disrespectful to everyone else here who would love to be in that seat that you're wasting." Brass balls? Absolutely. Necessary? Probably (definitely) not. But judging from everyone dancing around me, he was right, and the place was bonkers for the rest of the night.

Author's Note: The same night I saw Kanye West in concert, I got my very first commission for a drawing in a magazine, a spot for Forbes. It was a really good night.

P.S. The G.O.O.D. Friday stuff was like getting to look through a sketchbook, so I made sure to get a bunch of process shots this time around.

President's Letter, Fall 2010

2010-11-22T15:37:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest drawing for the president's letter in Rowan Today magazine. As its reputation grows stronger, open houses for prospective students at Rowan University are becoming very popular.

It's a good problem to have.

Sketch Club, November 10, 2010

2010-11-20T15:08:00.005-05:00

Here's what came out of last Wednesday's session at the Philadelphia Sketch Club. I started the drawing there, and added the colored ink and the watercolor later.

As a side note, while drawing from the model, my bike was stolen off the street. Since then, everyday has been like Pee-wee's Big Adventure--which, nine times out of ten, would be awesome, but not this time. So if you see a green and black Trek Mountain Track 820 around Philadelphia, stop the person for questioning and call me immediately.

Check Yo' Head

2010-11-04T00:22:00.011-04:00

There have been a ton of concussions in the NFL this year. Call me soft, but every time I see a player go down with one, and then come back a week (or a quarter) later to demonstrate his toughness, I think of how he'll be getting fed baby food by a live-in nurse before he's 40 years old.

"Cool, man, yeah, I remember--you were the man back in the day. What are you up to now? Hey, that's cool. OK, I'm gonna go over here and annunciate whatever words happen to pop into my head. Good luck to you."

Toughness is one thing, but I don't know if there's a single person alive who would consciously accept a Warrior tag in exchange for brain damage before he's middle-aged. Shouldn't Muhammad Ali in his old age have scared the crap out of more people?

On a lighter note, there's this article from The Onion.

Hallo-Wham

2010-11-02T23:25:00.004-04:00

My friend and I were Wham! for Halloween.

Jitterbug, indeed.

Drawing at the Philadelphia Sketch Club

2010-10-31T22:32:00.003-04:00

The Philadelphia Sketch Club is an awesome place to go after work to do some drawing from a model. I went over last Wednesday, October 27th; the two drawings above came from the night's long-pose.

In my experience, most of the other folks there have a more academic approach to their drawing, but seeing the work produced throughout the room is still pretty motivating.

If anyone is ever interested in heading over, it's a nice change of pace from being a sad-sack at your desk by your lonesome all night. If nothing else, it's a great place to put to use those oblong pieces of leftover illustration board that everyone has laying around.

Here is their workshop schedule:

Life Model

Monday: 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Tuesday: Noon to 3 PM
Wednesday: 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Costumed Model

Thursday: Noon to 3 PM

You Have Seen Their Faces 6

2010-10-11T23:18:00.003-04:00

Maiden Lane, Georgia: "A man learns not to expect much after he's farmed cotton most of his life."

This is the sixth drawing from the book You Have Seen Their Faces, and, at least for now, it will be the last. I have some other things I'd like to draw.

If I may take a moment to say so, I'm really happy with what came out of this series.

These drawings not only got me thinking about my approach to picture-making, they got me thinking about present-day poverty. I'm glad that I focussed a real-life issue through the lens of what I understand best--drawing--the results of which, I hope go beyond just a few new pieces on my blog.

You Have Seen Their Faces 5

2010-10-10T21:38:00.005-04:00

Hamilton, Alabama: "We manage to get along."

With drawing time being harder to come by of late, I'm still enjoying working on this series.

You Have Seen Their Faces 4

2010-10-03T21:07:00.006-04:00

Augusta, Georgia: "Everybody likes to fish, but nobody likes to rustle up bait, so I expect that's why I make a sizable living."

Here's the latest drawing from You Have Seen Their Faces. Digging this so project so much.

You Have Seen Their Faces 3

2010-10-02T23:00:00.006-04:00

Hood's Chapel, Georgia: "I reckon I was naturally born a black boy in a white man's country."

Another drawing from the book You Have Seen Their Faces. I'm enjoying leaving the pencil lines in as part of the finished drawing in an attempt to match the grittiness and honesty in the book's photos.

You Have Seen Their Faces 2

2010-09-27T23:25:00.006-04:00

Ozark, Alabama: "School is out for spring plowing, and Pa said I could go fishing."

After doing some non-drawing work, and some privately-commissioned drawing work these past few weeks, I'm happy to be back posting to my blog.

Here is another drawing based on a photo from You Have Seen Their Faces, a book that I can't seem to stop going through over and over again.

I bought this surplus of crappy board a few months back, looking to experiment a bit (read: it was cheap); interesting that it may actually work to the benefit of this drawing.

New Website

2010-09-19T22:18:00.006-04:00

The actual production of drawings had been slow of late because I had been using my drawing time to put together my new website.

It's available for you viewing pleasure/displeasure now, at http://alrightmike.com.

You Have Seen Their Faces

2010-09-13T21:04:00.005-04:00

My grandfather gave me this book the other day:

It's about poor folks in the Deep South, published in 1937 (this is the 1975 reprint). I wasn't familiar with it at all, but he talked about it like it was Don Quixote. Or Sh*t My Dad Says. He's a smart guy, so I figured I'd better get to studying it. Which means I'd better get to drawing from it.

Here's the first pencil drawing. I don't usually scan my pencil drawings, but I was kind of fond of this one.

And here's the finish.

Ocelot, Georgia: "I got more children now than I know what to do with, but they keep coming along like watermelons in the summertime."

Flugtag Drawings

2010-09-07T22:54:00.006-04:00

Amidst a lot of chaos over the past few weeks, I'm happy to finally put up some new drawings on the blog. The two below are based on some photos of Flugtag teams taken while walking around before the event on Saturday.

More are on the way.

Art Around Montreal

2010-08-27T09:09:00.002-04:00

Maybe it's just because I had never been there before and I was on Alert Five for new eye candy, but it seems like there is art inside of, outside of, and on almost every building up in Montreal. Here are some quick shots of just some of it.

(Sketchbook Drawings) Of Montreal

2010-08-26T22:20:00.004-04:00

I was in Montreal for the past few days, where, along with spending quality time with some friends, there were two highlights:

1. Poutine. I had never heard of it, but I was told that we were going to go check it out. It's French fries and cheese curds covered in a special gravy. When it comes to eating, I've been told that I have the palette of a five year-old, so I was skeptical at first. By the second bite, though, this stuff became my crack. We would take advantage of the hours at the 24-hour poutine place up the street, La Banquise, three times in our two nights. It should be known that you can get all kinds of toppings on your poutine. I was a fan of the chopped chicken cutlets, and the turkey and peas. Our friend tried the T-Rex, which was poutine mixed with ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, and smoked sausage. Here's a quick drawing I did of what became our rallying cry throughout our stay, and the trip home, poutine.

2. This one has nothing to do with a sketchbook, but it's still worth sharing. On our first night out, we went to a bar where we were served by an actor named Jeff, who would later tell us that he was in the dance scene in White Chicks (2:44, and 2:52 marks--or just check the screen shots).

Upon explaining that that movie is one of my friend's absolute favorites (seriously), Jeff was happy to sign an autograph for him (vulgarity ahead).

OK, now on to the some sketchbook stuff:

Up next, a post featuring some of the art seen around Montreal.

Roger Clemens

2010-08-19T18:13:00.004-04:00

Seeing that Roger Clemens was indicted for perjury today reminded me of this drawing I did a few years ago. I decided to dust it off for the blog.

New Promo Posters Are Ready to Go

2010-08-19T16:06:00.004-04:00

Based on the A Phillie A Day drawings I did at the beginning of the 2010 season, I just got these posters back from the printer.

If you're an art director, I'd be happy to send you one.

Or download your own here.

Francisco Rodriguez, Alleged Dummy

2010-08-18T20:25:00.005-04:00

One of the tremendous pleasures of being a Phillies fan, especially these past few years, is making fun of the comedy troupe in New York, the Mets. Last week, their over-the-top, Scott-Stapp-of-Creed-impersonating hothead closer/donut consumer, Francisco Rodriguez, supposedly beat up his girlfriend's father after being told to "man up", and was consequently arrested. It would later be revealed that he tore a tendon in his thumb in the alleged fight, and will miss the rest of the season.

I don't condone any kind of fighting, but the Mets are the funniest team around, so I present this drawing in the name of comedy.

I Work at the Coffee Shop

2010-08-10T23:23:00.003-04:00

I hadn't been to the coffee shop around the corner in a while, but here's a new employee drawing.

Here are the other two drawings in the series so far:

I Work at the Coffee Shop 1

I Work at the Coffee Shop 2

People Around Town

2010-08-09T19:02:00.006-04:00

Some sketchbook drawings of folks I saw while waiting for and sitting on the train last week.

The best was the third guy in the green shirt. He was talking to his friend about the prospects of other NBA teams next year, in light of the new triumvirate of superstars in Miami. His friend said something like, "If So and So could get a swingman like What's His Name, they'd be dangerous." To which the man below swiftly held up his empty hand and replied, "Yeah, and if it was a fifth, we'd all be clubbin'!"

That's a sequined viper on his shirt, by the way.

Eight Months of Photos

2010-08-09T15:32:00.008-04:00

This post is completely self-indulgent, and I apologize.

Last week, I was excited to get in the mail a book by Matt W. Moore called Diagonal Thinking 2010 that contained photos of his last year-in-the-life. The book inspired me to finally empty out photos that have stuck around on my iPhone for the past eight months or so and put them here--something else he does.

So for whatever reason I took these--and really, some I have no idea why I took them--they stuck around on my phone. Generally speaking, they're in the order in which they were taken.

Take Two: Rowan Today Magazine President's Letter: Towering Over Is Overrated

2010-08-06T11:51:00.003-04:00

I got word earlier this week that the folks at Rowan Today decided that they wanted to go a different direction from the drawing that I submitted (and was accepted) last week. Fortunately, they gave me first crack at the new illustration, and this time, they knew exactly what they wanted.

I submitted two versions. I liked the line drawing better, but it's their magazine, and they chose the colored version.

A Phillie A Day: Roy Oswalt

2010-07-30T08:58:00.005-04:00

Roy Oswalt had bothered the crap out of me for years. I actually always enjoyed watching his delivery, and a good pitcher is almost always fun to watch carve up another team. But the reason Oswalt had bothered me so much is because, for no particular reason, I can't stand the Houston Astros.

Whenever the Phils have to play a few games down there, it feels like they're trapped in baseball purgatory. How about that game in 2007--July third, I believe, because it was the night our toilet flooded big-time before our Fourth of July party--where they had to go to extra innings on a blown call on the last out in the ninth, and then lost? No wonder it went down to the last game of the season that year (I won in the end, really, because I got to go to that last game with my brother). And that came after 2005, when the Astros killed the Phils in a September series that cost them the playoffs altogether. When the Astros lost to the White Sox in the World Series in 2005, I said to myself, "Well, those folks seem pretty content just with being the Champions of Being Houston anyway." Baseball purgatory. When Ed Wade was hired there, I thought, "Man, he drove us up a wall in Philadelphia, but does he deserve this?" Watching Astros home games on TV reminds me of a combination of a high school gymnasium, and the flickering fluorescent light above my desk at my old job. Again, my own personal, unfounded prejudice against a baseball team.

Since I had for no reason decided that the Astros would always be beatable, it drove me nuts that they were always seemingly just good enough to ruin the Phillies' day. Roy Oswalt was the ingredient, I decided. I figured he was just so good himself, that he raised the overall talent level of the Astros to just above average, and therefore, good. Maybe I'm crazy. I'm probably crazy.

Anyway, when the trade to bring him to the Phils was finalized yesterday, I was pretty excited. Like when Roy Halladay came on in relief after a rain delay on a Sunday in 2008, I had always thought that it'd be great to get a stud pitcher who is obsessed with winning. Now here we are with both Roys and a Cole. We get to watch Roy Oswalt on the regular now, with beautiful, lush, well-lit Veterans Stadium II as the backdrop, as a member of maybe the best trio of starters in the National League, if not all of baseball. Ruben, this is a genuine, honest Thank You.

Other Phillie A Day drawings:

Charlie Manuel

Jimmy Rollins

Placido Polanco & Chase Utley

Ryan Howard

Jayson Werth

Raul Ibanez

Shane Victorino

Carlos Ruiz

Roy Halladay

Cole Hamels

And for good measure, Uncle Harry.

Rowan Today Magazine President's Letter: Towering Over Is Overrated

2010-07-28T18:44:00.013-04:00

What a sexy blog-post title.

Anyway, thanks to a friend of mine who works as a designer at Rowan Today magazine, I've had the chance to be a contributing illustrator for the President's Letter section of the publication for the past few years. It's a full-page piece--here is the latest installment, about how Rowan graduates become leaders, and how it came about.

I got the draft for the letter last week, and sat with a whole bunch of doodles before sending off these three sketches:

Here is the description of each that I sent in the initial email:

Group of graduates opening their diplomas to reveal roads. Top left corner shows person getting his diploma. As I scanned this, I thought it might also work well as just a blank page with one graduate opening his diploma in the top left corner, and the path coming forward to the bottom right corner.
A silhouette of a graduate with owl eyes. Silhouette would be brown, with background being yellow.
Graduate busting through paper, leading a group. This one might be interesting if I use real ripped paper--either blank white, or newspaper. Though I'm not sure how much longer a newspaper metaphor will mean anything, or if it still does at all.

They were promptly rejected for something that focussed less on the graduates, and more on a professional life after Rowan.

Round 2:

And the email descriptions:

Guy leading large group of people into negative space. He and everyone/thing behind him will be in full color. There will be doctors, people in suits, archaeologists, apartment buildings, a blimp, a bi-plane. Maybe a giraffe. Probably not a giraffe, but there is a horse in the drawing. Anyway, it will have a lot of detail, and be fun to look at.
A guy holding a flag like in the Civil War, leading people in the background.

The bi-plane and blimp ideas didn't fly for the final, but they all liked the idea for Comp 1.

After a few changes, I went to the final. Here are some progress shots:

I Work at the Coffee Shop

2010-07-20T23:12:00.000-04:00

I Work at the Coffee Shop

2010-07-19T23:11:00.003-04:00

There is a coffee shop around the corner from me at which I've found myself hanging out with more frequency of late. Everyone who works there seems to have a unique look about them, so I thought they'd be fun to draw. With that in mind, I give you the first installment of "I Work at the Coffee Shop".

Craigslist Chronicles: Tune Your Damn Piano

2010-07-13T13:24:00.007-04:00

I while ago, I started going through craigslist to find interesting things about which I could make drawings. I referred to these drawings as the Craigslist Chronicles. They were intended to be "loose finishes" where I could just screw around, figure things out, and make mistakes. As I never did anything with those drawings upon completion, a lot of the boards were used for actual finishes (I flipped 'em over), and the original drawings don't really exist anymore.

But now that I have this blog, some of the Craigslist Chronicle drawings that I do still have may start seeing the light of screen. Here is one done not too long ago, taken from the Best Of section, called Tune Your God Damn Piano.

And for the sake of archiving (as I have no idea how long that link above will work), here is the text to the craigslist posting. I want to make it clear that these aren't my words, and I don't claim any credit for them. I'm just a fan.

Hanging Out

2010-07-11T23:15:00.010-04:00

On Friday, I hung nine of my drawings in the gallery space at the Whole Foods Market in Plymouth Meeting. They will be there for the next few months, so please do check it out. If you want, I'll even meet you there and buy you a soda.

On the way out, I saw a rainbow, which I took as an indicator that it had rained while I was inside, but that the sun had since come out.