This Broken Moment

Front Cover

Back Cover

Inside Spread

Front and Back of Insert

CD Design

Insert With Lyrics

Jess Smucker, singer and songwriter of 'The Sleeping World' asked me to do her latest album, 'This Broken Moment.' We have worked together many times in the past including her last EP 'Reluctantly Yours.' It is always fun working with Jess and I always feel we create nice work together.

The inspiration for this album comes from several different sources. Jess had some very nice photos taken by Molly Schlachter of Molly S. Photography. Originally, we were going to go with the photo of Jess wearing the cowboy boots and a wedding dress. After several comments that the album looked 'too country' we decided on the pic below.

I picked up an old book from the 1850s titled 'The History of England.' The book is badly damaged with a torn cover and worn pages but has lots of charm. I thought if I emulated this look I might capture some of the same charm. Both Jess and I loved how it turned out. 

The design for the CD and inside cover (same pattern) came from an old Japanese design book that I purchased a few years back. The bird wood-block pattern in an old design found on clothes and paper in old Japan.

EA Character Sheet Progression

sketched EA character sheet

inked EA character sheet

colored EA character sheet

landscape shot of the kingdom of Ballad

Willem Alexander Croix

Here is a character sheet for Endless Adventure. 

Willem is a character that I created to test run with another writer.

Endless Adventure

This is the logo for an online, text based game that I created. Mainly I posted this so I can copy and paste it into the emails I send out to my players.

Market Square

Here is another perspective study of a medieval market square. This one was fun but took a while to finish. Now I'm ready to graduate to 3-point perspective... or learn Google Sketchup ;-)

Figure Drawing

There is a local figure drawing class that meets every Tuesday evening. It had been a while since I have attended a session and had nothing better to do last night. The drawing of the hands was from the last session I attended. I really enjoy the group. There are some very talented people who show up there and it is very inspiring to see their work.

Black Nimbus

This drawing is of a villain by the name of Black Nimbus for a story that I am writing. Again I wanted to show the progress from the very first sketch to the final rendered piece.

Black Nimbus is an ancient and powerful sorcerer from the lost kingdom of Penoplesia. He is big trouble and the kingdom of Ballad has attracted his attention. Watch out!

The Cathedral

Here is a recent drawing I did in my 'theory' sketchbook. Yes I have a sketchbook just devoted to theory :-) This is a perspective exercise in a book I have. I wanted to show (and see for my self) the progress of the drawing. I don't see many artist showing their audiences the process of their work, a feat easily done with the wonders of modern technology. I took these photos on my iPhone. I hope you are entertained and educated as much as I was drawing the piece.

YCMA Summer Swimming Program

This tri-fold brochure was to promote the local YMCA’s Y-Aquatics Program. This brochure was one of my earliest commercial projects. Meeting personally with the client and taking the photographs back to the studio to finish the brochure was a fun, rewarding experience.

The Bat Riders

Here is my latest fantasy illustration. It is art work for a web site that I am developing called "Endless Adventure." The three characters in the piece are three NPC's that one of the players have met. I used a handful of media to complete this piece. The bats and the riders were drawn with pencil, scanned into the computer and colored in PhotoShop. The back ground was painted in acrylic and the border is pen and ink that I also scanned into the computer and colored.

Tibetan Prayer Flags

The goal of this brochure was to sell Tibetan Prayer Flags that were created by a sister organization of the Tibetan Aid Project. This was the first brochure of its kind and was a challenge to create. There were 8 different flags for sale and I was quite intimated at first by the sheer complexity of the piece. I feel, however, that the end result was successful and it helped T.A.P. sell many flags. 

The piece beside this text is a slip I designed that went along with the flag when purchased. It explained the flag and the various meanings of the symbols printed on it.

The Alliance

This illustration was done in tandem with a comic book a friend and I did. The characters in the piece are not the main characters of the comic book but a group of heroes important to the back story.

I drew this piece on brisol board then inked it (the black and white is shown on the right). Next I scanned the illustration in the computer and colored it in Photoshop. The final size of the piece is 24"X18." The logo at the bottom is the one I created for the actual comic book. It was done in Illustrator and Photoshop.

Kitchen N' Things & The Park

These were both new advertisers for Clipper Magazine. My designs for these ads were well received by both my art directors and the clients. I decided to go with an organic, earth-inspired approach based on the nature of their businesses. 

No changes were made to the original designs and both ads won the ‘Clipper Choice Award,’ a monthly contest held at Clipper that picks the best designed and marketed ads.

EZO Dining Sushi Bar

EZO is one of my favorite ads that I created at Clipper Magazine. Utilizing traditional Japanese elements of bold colors and diagonals, the design I created is both stylish and authentic to the culture.

Uneven text and diagonal coupons are typically frowned upon at Clipper, but the senior art directors liked the design so much they decided to break protocol. This client was so pleased with the ad that they ran the same design for over a year.

Lily Nail Spa

Lily Nail Spa was client was a new advertiser for Clipper Magazine and my art director wanted something eye catching. He was very pleased with the result. The client was pleased as well and no changes were made to the original design.

This design was used by other artists at Clipper for many other nail and spa businesses throughout America. It was also made into a poster which hangs in Clipper Magazine’s Corporate office. This ad also won ‘Clipper Choice,’ a monthly contest held at Clipper that picks the best designed and marketed ads.

Beau Soleil Ad Spot

Here is just a quick piece I did for Beau Soleil Decorative Painting. They needed a simple black and white ad spot in a local school magazine. The owner (and good friend) Seth Cluley and I put this together in about the time it takes to drink 2 beers.

New Holland Labels

This job was a lot of fun. I was asked by the owner of The New Holland Auto Group, Geoff Class, to create two labels to promote his fleet and parts departments. The labels have an adhesive back and stick on top of donut boxes that are given to existing and potential clients. 

As I am not a car person and was worried about how the Ford Explorer and Crown Vic would turn out but I think they look good. Mr. Class and his assistant LOVED them. I was happy with the end result as well.

Jessica Smucker: Reluctantly Yours

Here is my most recent work. These are the front and back covers for Jessica Smucker’s first solo album titled ‘Reluctantly Yours’. Jess gave me pretty much free reign on this one so I decided to do illustrations.

The back cover is a drawing of the alleyway where the Lancaster Dispensing Company and Lancaster Central Market can be found. Appropriately, this is where the CD release party is being held on the 15th of May. I can’t wait to be there!