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Tag Archives: design
It’s A Jungle Out There
Here’s the final installment of background illustrations done for Plain Joe Studios‘ client, for their Go Kids cast of characters. I prefer illustrating organic backgrounds to artificial structures because, well, because I’m lazy and it’s easier to draw a jungle than to draw a giant city in perfect perspective. 
Actually, creating organic forms is just so much more fun, what with all the wild foliage, vines, and such. Plus I like drawing gnarly tree limbs, twisting trunks, and tangled roots. If I had my druthers (I keep using that word without really knowing what a “druther” is), I’d be illustrating little fantasy stories that take place in all sorts of forests and wacky worlds. Honestly, I love creating charming artwork for children. My preference for the innocence of children’s media is probably why I prefer the fantasy wonderland of Disneyland to a “fast-ride” theme-park like Magic Mountain.
The Legends of Lightfall #1
Plain Joe Studios (PJS) has been creating a six-issue sci-fi-fantasy comic series called “The Legends Of Lightfall”, which we’ve spent the last year-and-a-half producing. The issue is available for pre-order here, and it’ll ship in January as far as I’m aware.
The client took some of the art and put together this small promo video, which I got to see for the first time yesterday.
Other’s had already fleshed out the initial concept designs and story/script before I joined the creative team on this project, so I was honored to be offered the chance to join the project with the task of illustrating (story-boarding/penciling/inking/painting) the comic.
The creative team includes:
Art / Design / Lettering: Johnny Davis, Kirk, Langsea, Bryce Reyes, Suzanne Beaudoin, and myself
Editors: Johnny Davis, Michael Melilli
Script: Doug Peterson
Creative Development: Steve Blount, Susan Blount, Mel McGowan, Johnny Davis, Kirk, Langsea, Peter McGowan, Bryce Reyes, Justyn Smith, Marlee Golz, and myself.
I’ve actually gone back to revise and add a few things to the first issue (one of those things being a map of Lightfall), so by the time you read this I’ll have just wrapped up the illustration stuff, more or less. If you get a chance to read the first issue, let me know what you thought and please be sure to share it!
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Go Kids – Arrival Of The SWAG
My gal trying out the t-shirt
A couple posts back, I shared some of Justyn Smith’s photos of some products River ValleyChurch produced based on the Go Kids artwork I created. After my wife saw all of the cool stuff, she said she’d like some of it and so I asked Justyn where we could purchase some of it. He was so kind as to ask for my address and offer to send us a box of goodies. Well, the swag arrived last week! Here’s a few pics of all the cool stuff Justyn sent us – Thanks, Justyn!
How To Make Millions Of Dollars From Art
So you want to get rich quick with art? Okay, here’s how to do it:
First: Throw away your paint brushes. You’ll never get rich with your own artwork. Some people are fortunate enough to hit the big time with their art, but that’s not me and it’s not you; you’re more likely to get struck on the head by a giant turd-meteor than you will finding great monetary success from your creative endeavors. If you’re able to eat three meals a day doing art, you’re better off than most. But if you’re reading this, you want to do more than eat. You want to be rolling in shekels, right? If so, go to step two…
Step Two: Steal the Mona Lisa. Hide it where nobody will find it while you’re doing a long stretch in a foreign prison.
Step three: Let’s face it, you’ll never survive in a foreign prison. Find the nearest dead guy, extract the metal fillings from his teeth, and use the metal to form a small spoon. (You may want to spend some time in the prison library to research on how to do this.)
Step Four: Start digging.
Step Five: After tunneling your way out to freedom, you’ll probably look like that Tom Hanks character that was marooned alone on an island and you’ll probably smell just as bad. Take a moment to shave and shower.
Step Six: Go retrieve the Mona Lisa.
Step Seven: Sell it. Of course, no one will believe it’s the real deal, so you’ll be lucky to get twenty-bucks for it.
Step Eight: Repeat steps one through seven until you’re satisfied that your bank account has reached that magic number.
Now go out there and make your dreams come true!
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Frank Grau Illustration 