Zaneandzali

So I'm back from Texas and trying to get back to work on the pile of illustrations I need to finish. I enjoyed a small lull for the last couple weeks but now I have a lot of things to get started on. Look out this week for a stressed out Rahm Emanuel, a sticker design for local Mexican restaurant Holy Frijoles, an old fashioned record cover, and in the more distant future some snowboard designs I was recently contacted about.

OK, so this is really my last post before I leave. I'm packing as I type but wanted to contribute this last illustration to illustration Friday. What better before going to SXSW than a subterranean musician.

This isn''t my art but it's a poster for the show my band is playing in Austin, TX on March 20th. I'll be AWOL from this blog for a week but it's going to be a lot of fun hanging out with some fellow Baltimore bands and seeing our friends the Safes from Chicago. I might try to squeeze in one more illustration for Illustration Friday before I leave but when I get back I'll be posting a new poster for a Teenanger show and a lot of sketches from the trip.

Sorry for the truckload of political art, or at least my dumbed down version of it haha. I drew this after the healthcare summit because Republicans want to start over and if the Obama administration doesn't play it just right we might have to. I'm pulling for this bill to pass so I can finally get some affordable insurance. As a drawing this was just a quick sketch I inked in. The likenesses are not completely there but I thought it would be good to try drawing something a little less serious.

I think Rosa Parks is a good example of bravery and her story is one that should always be remembered. The civil rights movement was not too long ago in the history of the United States and I think some people today are too quick to believe our country has completely overcome intolerance. This was a quick ink job in order to achieve a dry brush affect. I'm always looking for ways to loosen up my style and this was an attempt at that.

Here's a new poster commissioned by Dana from Sonar/Unregistered Nurse. I included some details because I drew this pretty big. This will be a show not to miss. Also I'll be selling these at the show for 5 bucks each if anyone's interested.

Here's a Ted Kennedy illustration I did before he passed away that never got published. I figure with the healthcare debate raging, this would be appropriate to share. Despite what has been said about some of his past alleged indiscretions, I think he did a lot of good for equal rights in this country.

To show I'm not against all Republican politicians, this is a portrait of former Republican Senator Charles Mathias from Maryland. He recently passed away but had an impressive career in Washington that included campaigning for civil rights reform and preserving the Chesapeake Bay. I chose to draw him for this week's Illustration Friday because the word is "perspective" and I think a liberal Republican may change some people's perspectives on politics...then again maybe not nowadays. I'm only 30 but I can't recall the parties ever being this divided. I'm definitely more on the left but I'm hoping both sides can start working together.

So 3 years ago I was hired by Chronicle Books to illustrate a series of trading cards poking fun at the funniest members of the GOP. It was probably the best time I've ever had doing a job though the worst thing about being an artist is looking back on past work and thinking of how your style has changed and probably improved. Though I think I've grown as an illustrator since then I am still loving these cards for what they are. The writing is really funny and Design Army in DC did a great job laying these out and adding color. I definitely recommend checking these out via the link I've added at the top right. Forgive my ink lines, it WAS way back in 2007 after all haha.