Lawnscaping: Clips 'n Tricks

Leon is really on a roll lately. New strip up today, bricks 'n mortar, clixxx 'n mortar.

Shark Attack II

I found this alternate version of that shark whistle illustration. Unpublished, because I don't think Shark Whistles actually exist (yet?!).

All-Star All-Star Fantasy Team

In honor of Major League festivities taking place in his hometown, Leon Beyond has carefully combed through 76 years worth of All-Star games as well as his own fantasies to assemble an all-star all-star team, the créme de la créme. Here it is (click for a larger view):1. Minnie Miñoso (OF)
2. Pete Rose (2B)
3. Willie Mays (OF)
4. Albert Pujols (1B)
5. Stan Musial (OF) / Ted Williams (OF)
6. Pie Traynor (3B)
7. Birdie Tebbetts (C)
8. Ozzie Smith (SS)
9. Dizzy Dean (P) / Rollie Fingers (RP) / Dennis Eckersley (RP)
Manager: Frankie Frisch
Umpire: Bruce Froemming

Here are some sketches:Oh, and singing the National Anthem at Leon's Fantasy All-Star Game: Huey Lewis & The News.

Scene from Nature

Random unpublished painting done for a friend-of-a-friend based on an old drawing. Makes me wish I was eating a hot dog.

Shark Whistle

Random unpublished illustration I did a while back that makes me wish I was still at the beach.

Rockets Red Glare

Leon was inspired by the hundreds of burning bug bites he got on his feet while in Florida. Here's the whole strip. I love fireworks packaging vintage & modern, and here's a painting I copied off an old Black Cat firecracker:
While I'm posting up random stuff, here's the kinda reference Leon sends me along with his manuscript when it comes time to draw the comic:
Have a safe July 4th, everyone!

Sea Water & Hot Sand in my Sketchbook

Thyme Infused Butter Drizzle

New Amazing Facts & Beyond today, in the paper and on the blog!
Leon got inspired by this recent study by the Journal for Consumer Research that reveals that "healthy dining" options included on a restaurant's menu usually leads to more indulgent & UNhealthy choices. Leon, of course, knows why:Be careful out there, and watch out for the Hypnomenutists!

Stay Sharp!

This is a t-shirt that I designed for WOOT. It is for sale today and today ONLY. UPDATE: if you missed buying the shirt yesterday, you can buy it for a limited time here. Here was my sketch:
Alternate idea:Another one (this is actually the kind of pencil sharpener I use):

Dave Fans vs. Phish Phans

Dave Matthews Band and Phish are both in town next week, and the RFT did this article which interviewed the rabid fan/phanbases of each, gauging their attitudes toward the other. I illustrated this series of charts that visualized this important data. My sketches:Another one:

Baseball's "Dead Ball" Era

In case you haven't heard, Leon Beyond & His "Amazing Facts & Beyond" are back in the Riverfront Times newspaper every week. This week Leon's brings us one of Old Timey Baseball's darkest chapters, the infamous 20 year-long pitchers' duel between rival fireballers Cy Young and Stub Suffolk.Be sure to read the whole thing in the paper or on Leon's blog.

Jerry Lewis in THE LADIES MAN

I painted this cover to the latest CINEFAMILY movie theater program, as part of a film festival dedicated the films of the classic comedian and auteur Jerry Lewis. The movie we wanted to focus on was his 1961 slapstick "romance" THE LADIES MAN.The centerpiece of the film - apart from the crazy/extravagant cutaway dollhouse set that Lewis built - is the constant tormet experienced by a heartbroken man who has sworn off of women ... and naturally gets a job working in a boarding house for beautiful ladies.

I tooks lots of screenshots while watching the movie...... and tried to quickly sketch Lewis' hyper-physical, destructive goofball comedy while capturing the oily sexual tension that seems poised to combust at any moment. Here was my sketch.I ended up doing the drawing with colored ink (Faber Castell PITT pens) and coloring it with some cheap watercolours and a hot pink highlighter. It's about 16" x 20". Type was added later. You should really watch Ladies Man - it's weird and good. I need to watch more Jerry Lewis movies.

Chicago Cubs: A Century of Suck

We made a new Infographic / illustrated timeline combining three of my most loved things: olde-tyme baseball, olde-tyme cardboard, and olde-tyme hatred for the Chicago Cubs! Here are some close-ups and snapshots from the last 100 years.Be sure to read the whole thing! It was written and designed by my pal Will Horton at 600Series and I supplied all the goofy drawing and halftones and cardboard. Lots more juicy research, visual inspiration, and anti-Cubs info here and here.

What It Takes: Stories of Bravery

I did the cover illustration for this new book published by the 826 Writing Center in Seattle. It's a book of short stories written by middle school students about triumphs over their worst fears -- real and imagined -- everything from monster fish to flying dogs to ripped jeans to peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. The crazy maze cover idea was thought up by the awesome and talented Jacob Covey, who designed the whole book. Drawing it took me back to lying on the floor at my 1st grade best friend Jay's house, taping together pieces of graph paper end-to-end, making the most giant maze ever. I remember how excited we were the day we found out about hexagonal graph paper.
There is a release party & signing by the students this Saturday (May 23rd) at 826 Seattle and the book is available for purchase here.

Baby Andrew is on a Boat

This is a little painting I made for a baby friend-of-a-friend. Acrylic on panel, 12" x 12".The nautical flags spell out ANDREW and 03-19-09.