David and Goliath: Thai Style

The newest of my experiments. I want to do some biblical stories illustrated in a distinctly Thai style. So here's David and Goliath Thai style. To an American, this would look sci-fi, but to a Thai, I think it would make sense. Goliath is a giant, in Thai Yaak. This is how the Thais draw giants in their stories. David is portrayed as a common villager, but with a more Jewish sling (Thais use slingshots). So don't be freaked out too bad, this isn't saying that Goliath actually looked like this... I think...

Flintlock Hunter

I experimented with a lot of things in this one. First, making a backdrop from a photograph, actually painting over top the photo. Makes things a little more precise. Second, I tried to work the body positioning a little better than most times. Finally, I tried to play with effects for fire and smoke with the explosion from the barrel and frizzen. So there you have it. I may try more of these. It was fun!

Wifely Advice

At some point, every guy wishes that he had listened to his wife. Now, whether they admit it or not, that is entirely up to them. So here's a guy who has it in his mind what's best, ignoring the obvious. Oh well, some people never learn. I wasn't as thrilled with the fire effect in this one, but it got the job done. And in case anyone is wondering, these people are NOT patterned after anyone, so if you think you know who I was drawing, it's not them.

Ganaa, Mongolian Ibex

I am seriously working on some storylines and such for a book containing the character Mr Squiche. My idea is to present something with a biblical moral, but that also exposes people (kids?) to other cultures around the world. So perhaps a side-missions focus... who knows. So this one I have decided to place in Mongolia. For that I needed some kind of good Mongolian animal character. I decided on the Siberian Ibex. I remember finding one of their horns out in the steppes when I was there in 2003, and so I figured it would make a good character. I used the name of our hostess (her husband's ger was where we stayed while in the countryside), Ganaa. I also learned a song from her about a winged horse. Anyway, here is Ganaa, the Ibex who will help Mr Squiche find the elusive temple...

Mr. Squiche and the Fortress of Misery

Well, here's another story idea. I really don't know where I might go with this, but it seems promising... I've still got another idea in the works, but that will be coming later. Anyhow, I experimented with rain effects on this, hence the rain-hat and umbrella. I also had fun with the green eerie glow stuff. Keep your eyes peeled, there'll be more in the near future.

Mr. Squiche and the Temple of Garish Grins

This one is titled, "Mr. Squiche and the Temple of Garish Grins". The original concept comes from back in high school, so it's been modified a bit. I'm thinking this could lend itself to a good storyline, but that's in the works... Originally it was, "Mr. Squishee and the Temple of Cheese". For obvious reasons, that seemed a bit hokey. Not that Garish Grins is any better, but it could work for a storyline. I enjoy playing with shadows and painted effects.

Dragonfly Fairy

I typically don't do the fantasy thing, but I wanted to do something for my nieces, and so what would little girls love better than a fairy riding on a dragonfly! I had fun with the wings and such anyway.

Fishing Fish

What if fish fished? What would they use for bait...?

The Cats of Surin Baptist Church

The Cats of Surin Baptist Church. Well, what can I say? Goatee is the proper, black and white one. Nobody knows how he got such a nice fur coat, seeing that his mother was rather mottled. He also goes by the pseudonym "Tuxedo". His sister is Andee, whiny, matronly, and perpetually pregnant. That means lots of kitties to go around. Then there's Loki, Andee's son from her first litter, whinier than she and getting into EVERYTHING. Not quite sure what's with his tail, it looks normal until you get to the end, then it explodes in a firework of hair. Then... there's Gooch. Ah, what is there to say? He is different. Round face, and belly to go with it. His name apparently means "dung beetle". But he's the heart-throb of every Thai who visits our house. Sometimes people also call him Garfield for obvious reasons. So here are the infamous cats at SBC. There's enough personality here to go around a couple times!

Girl by the Shenandoah River

My second foray into painting on top of a photograph. We would always go to Harper's Ferry when life was getting stressed out or difficult, sit on top of the mountains there and just talk to God and each other. This painting is trying to depict such a scene. It seems that Jesus would usually go to a mountain to pray, and it always made sense to do the same. The river is the Shenandoah where it runs into the Potomac. The Shenandoah is my favorite place to be, peaceful, flowing. It is a wonderful place, where the rivers divide the states of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. We usually sat on the West Virginia side on the hill and just thought, prayed and soaked in the beauty of our God's creation.

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills
From where will my help come?
My help comes from the LORD
Who made heaven and earth."

Psalm 121:1,2

The second version is with a sepia photo filter, gives it a bit of a meditative edge.

The Tolchester Scout

I have been experimenting with using my own pictures as backgrounds to my drawings. This one was from Tolchester, Maryland on the Eastern Shore. He's a scout supposed to be from the the time period of the French and Indian War, inspired by drawings and figures I saw at Fort Frederick in Western Maryland. This is looking across the Chesapeake Bay toward Baltimore. The ice had been pushed up against the shore and made for some beautiful pictures.

Raindance Support Group

I honestly don't remember what brought this one about other than the fact that Leah came up with the joke. Sometimes one of us will crack a joke and I'll say, "Ah, that would make a great cartoon", and so an idea is born. This was fun because with the fire, I played with the lighting and contrast some.

Mock Hero: Technopillar

Again, the superhero genre needs some roughing up, and what better to do that with than a cyber-butterfly or something. I don't know... crime fighting butterfly by night, mild mannered worm by day. Hard to say how this will go. But I think it may have potential. Anyway, here's Technopillar ambling around Baltimore's Inner Harbor!

Mock-Hero: Darkbark

When I was a kid, I had all kinds of ideas for stuff. I did read some super-hero comics, but they get pretty lame pretty quick. I mean, who really looks so muscular that you resemble a sack of potatoes? Who does that? Anyway, I decided to do some mock stuff, because that whole genre just begs to be made fun of. I recently remembered this character as well as others and thought of doing something with them. I haven't decided what yet, but I'd like to do something that also teaches a more spiritual lesson, instead of just sheer entertainment. So here's the dog superhero type. Oh, and if I can jab at underdog anytime, I will. I couldn't stand that cartoon! So please please please, don't think this is influenced in any way shape or form by that annoying cartoon... please.

The Ogre Boss

I often get inspiration for a comic idea just before bed, so I am usually scrambling to jot down an idea while my wife tries to figure out why I am running around like a madman. So here's the result of one of those times. What if your boss looked like this? Be thankful for the boss you have!

Pavlov's Cat

My wife and I were talking and she mentioned Pavlov's dog. We were feeding our cats at the time, and I wondered what Pavlov's cat would have been like...

God's Sheep-Shepherds

I have been thinking a lot about ministry while in Thailand. One thing that occurred to me was that God while God has called men to "shepherd" other believers, those shepherds are still sheep! I think sometimes that is a forgotten fact, and those in ministry can look at the others in the church as "those people". Truth is, we're all "those people". And we all do stupid things, and so we all need the Great Shepherd to guide us all! And interesting thought to ponder...

The Painter is the Artist, Not the Brush

I had done some thinking about how God uses people. I was thinking of a number of instances where the Bible speaks of God using people as the means to do things in the world. It's really something to stop and think about. It's sort of like a painter using a brush. This is something that I am pretty familiar with, so I thought it would make a good illustration. One guy has all the fancy equipment, and yet can do little more than a stick figure. The other guy has meager equipment and yet produces a masterpiece. So it is with our lives. It's really not about how good the brush (people) is, it's about how good the artist is. And since in the illustration, the artist is God... well, we don't have to make our lives a masterpiece, God's already at work doing that. And He'll probably do a better job than we could. I chose Psalm 100:3 to sound this out. God made us, not ourselves. And He is so much more capable of painting a masterpiece out of our lives.