Says Christian Siriano, winner of Project Runway, Season 4.

Highly skilled, talented, creative, blah, blah, blah, Christian’s sass and strong design sense made him a standout constestant. He’s the youngest winner so far on the popular American reality TV show.

I’ve watched Project Runway since it began. Season 1 and 4 are my favorites. I love watching the designers execute their ideas from start to finish. It’s not so different from illustrating– processing and problem-solving, that is.

This is my first Illustration Friday illo in months. I had fun creating this piece but I stayed up late (again). I drew it by hand with a brush-pen and touched it up digitally. I toyed around with other colors but found that lavender and black worked quite well for Christian. Whatcha think?

When my son was a toddler, he’d get super excited when we included peas in his meal. He called them “balls” and he’d throw them around the kitchen. He would also shake, rattle and roll–practically blast off–in his high chair whenever he played with…I mean ate…his food. This illo (a mix of ink and colored pencil) was a drawn a while ago when he was 1.5 years old. He is now 15. You do the math.

Cheers! May you soar with your dreams (and soar in your dreams) in 2008!

Momentum, as in skate-boarding downslope with your best buddies~your dog and your books.

I illustrated and designed this bookmark a few years ago. I like this Groucho Marx saying and thought it would “work” with these images. What do you think?

Language is the dress of thought. ~Samuel Johnson

Here’s another thought to address…

From lexicographer Laurence Urdang: …an “enchiridian of arcane and recondite sesquipedalian items will appeal to the oniomania of an eximious Gemeinschaft.”
Translation: Certain exceptional types like to buy collections of big, unusual words.

The above alphabet-inspired illustration was rendered by yours truly with a brush pen, then scanned and modified in photoshop.

I was inspired to draw something for this week’s Illustration Friday theme: Your Paradise. I sketched myself as I was doodling on the back of a used billing envelope. Then I scanned the envelope, opened it in Photoshop and changed its color to duotone red.

Whenever I doodle, I enter my paradise~a place to play and let ideas, thoughts and feelings flow. I find doodling relaxing~swimming in shapes, lines, impressions. It feels so natural. I’m doodling nothing in particular. I’m seeing parts of everything.

I especially like how doodles sprout and grow wherever you plant your pen. A little bit of paradise on scraps of paper.

For this week’s Illustration Friday theme: Green, here’s one of my creations inspired by the savory poem, “Beautiful Soup,” by famed Alice In Wonderland author, Lewis Carroll. Enjoy!

Oh, and don’t forget to eat your greens!

BEAUTIFUL SOUP
by Lewis Carroll

BEAUTIFUL Soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!

Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo–oop of the e–e–evening,
Beautiful, beautiful Soup!

Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth only of Beautiful soup?
Pennyworth only of Beautiful soup?

Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau–ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo–oop of the e–e–evening,
Beautiful, beauti–FUL SOUP!

[The above art was created with gouache, prismacolor pencil and some pastel.]