Cover art for THE SHADOW, December 2016

Cover art for THE SHADOW, December 2016,
art direction by Chris Flash.

Three drawings for SCREW Magazine, 12/10/92

What’s more Christmasy than some smut fiction illos?
Three drawings for SCREW Magazine, 12/10/92, ink on denril vellum, art direction by Kevin Hein.

BOSTON PHOENIX R.I.P.

I was sad to hear yesterday that the Boston Phoenix is closing its doors. I did a heap of illustrations for Boston's finest alt weekly over the last decade, many of which I count among my best. If any of the drawings I've posted below are worth a second look, that has just as much to do with the intelligence and vision of art director Kristen Goodfriend as it does with my ability to hold a pencil. 

My thanks and best wishes go out to Kristen and all the other folks at the Phoenix. May they all rise once more from the ashes with longer lunches and bigger paychecks!

"GOD IS PISSED"

Cover illo for Boston Phoenix

June 2010

art direction by Kristen Goodfriend

"GEORGE W. BUSH VS. MEDIA ZOMBIES”

Cover illo for Boston Phoenix

Art Direction by Kristen Goodfriend

October 2005

"ROMNEY UNZIPPED"

Cover illo for Boston Phoenix

February 2010

art direction by Kristen Goodfriend

“CHRISTMAS SCREAM”

Cover illo for Boston Phoenix

Art Direction by Kristen Goodfriend

December 2005

"MAD MEN" 

Holiday Guide cover illustration for BOSTON PHOENIX

Art Direction by Kristen Goodfriend

November 2009

"BUSH AS MARIE ANTOINETTE"

Cover illo for Boston Phoenix

October 2006

art direction by Kristen Goodfriend

“FIFTEEN FAMOUS DRUNKS”

Illustration for BOSTON PHOENIX

Art Direction by Kristen Goodfriend

March 2006

Christmasy Illos of 2009 (Part One): Village Voice Gift Guide Cover

Santa came across with some tasty illustration assignments this season, and here's the first of them.

The Village Voice's Justin Reynolds got in touch with me in early October about cover art for their yearly gift guide. He had a charming concept in mind: a sequence of four illos following the journey of a cheesy holiday sweater as it is gifted and re-gifted, finally landing right back where it started.

For me, the fun part of this assignment was coming up with the four re-gifters, all disparate urban types, none of whom would be caught dead wearing the sad snowman sweater.

Strange Santas

That nightmarish, saccharine music blasting from speakers everywhere signals that Christmas is fast approaching. While I'm not crazy about the season in general, I am a big fan of all Santa imagery, the kitschier, the better. This is probably due to the fact that I spent my diapered years watching those charming Rankin Bass animated TV specials, (which I'm STILL very happy to watch, thank you). For that reason, I look forward to holiday illo assignments, and the chance to visualize some of the weirder aspects of the jolly old elf's imagined history.

Here are three strange Santa illos from recent years: the first is an illo from the Boston Phoenix , assigned to me early last month by Catherine Tumber, (while Kristen Goodfriend was away). The article was a stream-of-consciousness piece consisting of hundreds of made-up band names; things like "Christmas Vampire," "The Devil's Tomato," "Scowling Baby," etc".


(Looking at that drawing, I'm reminded that over the years, I've done a handful of similar illos featuring whimsical bands comprised of robots, giant fish, aliens, and the like; at some later date, I'll collect them all and post 'em here.)

Next is a pro bono cover I did for an odd 'zine called ODDFELLOW, where we see a rapier-wielding Santa dressed in military regalia, dueling with the mag's creepy Masonic mascot, (a character originally dreamed up by the excellent cartoonist Jason Little ).


Last is a cover I did for New York Press' Holiday Gift Guide in November of 2003, (I think this was during Nick Bilton's tenure as Art Director) where another warrior Santa prepares to drive a spear directly into the black heart of his eternal foe, Lucifer.


HAPPY HOLIDAYS!