Calkonian Design

Scary Stories

2011-12-04T19:21:00.000-05:00

Aaaahhhh--- I've been in hiding for a while, haven't I? I'll get better about posting regularly. At least, I hope I will.

Anywho.... the other day, I got an envelope in the mail with two very scary stories (from my nieces). It is always fun to get unexpected stories sent to you in the mail. So, I decided to illustrate their stories and turn them into one page comics. Here they are for your reading pleasure! (I think I smell a budding writing partnership! ha ha)

My First, Illustrated Children's Book

2011-09-18T01:02:00.007-04:00

It's officially here! My first, fully-illustrated children's book.

I've been working on it, off and on, for quite a while now and am really excited to say that it is now for sale! It's paperback with 32-pages of colorful, fun pictures! You can purchase it here for $15. (The thumbnail may not be showing on the shopping page, it takes a bit of time to show up after building the page...hopefully.)

In about 6-weeks, the book will also be available through Amazon.com and through other distribution channels for libraries, schools and bookstores. But for now, if you are interested you can purchase a copy on my e-store.

It is the perfect book for any father and his daughters.

This is the story of two, very busy, little ladies who decide to put on a ballet about astronauts flying to Mars. The ballet, of course, stars their father as the scary, alien guy.
With charming, colorful illustrations our story starts early in the morning and follows the two girls, and their father, throughout the day as they prepare for their "Night at the Ballet"!

Here is a sample spread from the book.

Summer Pattern

2011-08-23T15:41:00.002-04:00

Here's a fun summer pattern of ladybugs, daisies and dahlias that I created for a kids project

Character Illustration: Thank You

2011-08-23T15:33:00.008-04:00

I've been using the same image for Thank You Cards for a while now. I like this guy's pot belly and earnestness,but I decided to change things up a bit with this new guy...

Mr. Rah Rah Rah Tiger!

Typography Discovery

2011-08-14T15:05:00.000-04:00

I love a good display typeface. Who doesn't? I am continually inspired by well designed typefaces used in innovative and creative ways.

I recently stumbled upon Lost Type, a typography co-op. Not only are there beautiful, retro-inspired typefaces, but they can be used on a pay-what-you-can basis. Besides being affordable options for typefaces you may only need to use once or twice, the payment goes directly to the creator. That's a pretty good thing.

Hopefully, people will pay appropriate, real-world amounts for the use of these designs. There are many beautiful fonts here

Guest Chef on the Waterfront

2011-07-28T12:36:00.000-04:00

Hey there! I just read, on-line, that this year's Guest Chef on the Waterfront (see previous post) raised $100,000 for this fantastic organization. I like to think the posters and advertising I made for them helped achieve this. (Although, I think the wonderful participants and their awesome food, beer and wine really helped spread the word too!)

Visit Farestart.org to learn more about what they do. It's a great place to volunteer, visit and interact with the Seattle Community. Especially on Guest Chef nights!

Cap'n Chris' Crab Shack

2011-07-27T22:33:00.000-04:00

Here's a fun gouache painting inspired by summer, my favorite place to eat crab, and the movie Popeye by Robert Altman. (0ne of my favorite movies, I don't care what anyone says!)

If you'd like, you can buy a print of this painting in my Etsy store!

Octopus Postcard

2011-07-13T16:04:00.000-04:00

I think it's time to go to Aquarium! Here's a little postcard I designed to encourage your next visit!

It's always fun to see what's lurking beneath the water. Seattle has a great aquarium. I think my favorite part of the Seattle Aquarium is the room in which you see what lives in the Puget Sound. It's a great big bubble of a room with fish, and other creatures living in the water, swim all around you!

Now, I live near the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD. This is definitely one of the best in the world. It's been way too long since I've been. But, one of my favorite exhibits was always the rain forest room... and the sharks, of course! Oooo.... and the penguins!

Typography Exploration

2011-07-07T11:35:00.001-04:00

Here's a new typeface that I have been trying out. I had been looking for a nice script typeface with lots of flourishes. This one is called Breathe by Maximiliano R. Sproviero. And can be found on Myfonts.com

This is a quote by Ophelia in Act 4, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's Hamlet

Typography Exploration

2011-06-01T23:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a little typography exploration I did today using Caslon Old Face Heavy. It's a quote from "All's Well That End's Well" by Shakespeare. Actually, still working on this concept and hope to incorporate a little illustration into it as well.

Put a Bird on It!

2011-05-11T21:13:00.000-04:00

I know! "Put a Bird on it and call it art! Right?" What can I say? Birds are quite fun to illustrate. Great opportunity to use pattern and folly! I definitely like how this print turned out.

2011 Guest Chef on the Waterfront

2011-04-20T21:02:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again! I just finished up the artwork for the 2011 Farestart's Guest Chef on the Waterfront. I can't believe that it is the 7th year that I have been honored to do the artwork for this event! (The eighth if you include the Guest Chef Under the Stars event — it's predecessor!) This is such a great event — I think its the best summer event in Seattle.

Over 70 of the best chefs, wineries, breweries and purveyors of fine foods in the Puget Sound region participate by providing tastings of their favorite dishes and best products. No one leaves this event hungry! And, it always so difficult to decide what is the best of the best! I'm glad that I don't have to judge the dishes.

It is also really nice to see such support from the Seattle community for such a fantastic organization. FareStart provides job training, in the food industry, for disadvantaged individuals. Giving people who are in a difficult period of their lives job skills and confidence to change their life. During these economic times, I'm sure many of us can relate to what it means to need a job and to find yourself in need of a way to make a change in your life. I know I can! FareStart was also recognized by the James Beard Association this year by being named the 2011 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award honoree.

If you are in the Seattle area this summer, this is an event not to miss! You can purchase tickets online at Farestart.org Tickets go on sale May 1st.

Postcard Design

Baltimore Museum of Art: Photography Exhibit

2011-04-18T21:22:00.004-04:00

I went to the BMA this past weekend and saw an excellent photography exhibit called Seeing Now: Photography Since 1960. Among my favorite photographs in the exhibit were several from a series called Women are Beautiful by photographer Gary Winogrand.

Another great series of photographs that I especially liked, was a series of water towers by Bernd & Hilla Becher. I had my sketchbook with me and quickly drew each tower. It was a great exercise for me; forcing my eye to really slow down and "see" the photographs. It also reminded me of a water tower I use to pass when I lived in Utrecht, Netherlands. Here are my interpretation of some of the towers. I love industrial buildings and breaking them down into their most basic geometric forms.

Illustration Friday: Toys

2011-03-29T18:25:00.002-04:00

This week's Illustration Friday picture. Enjoy!

More Ceramics

2011-03-20T13:06:00.000-04:00

Here are some more of the pieces I made in my Spring Ceramics Class

Ceramics Class

2011-03-18T23:04:00.001-04:00

Here's a little illustration I did as a "Thanks" for my recent class.

Ceramics

2011-03-18T22:53:00.001-04:00

I've been taking a ceramics class to start thinking about shapes in 3D. It's been a lot of fun and here are a few of my first pieces.

April Showers bring

2011-03-10T10:54:00.003-05:00

Rain, rain, rain.... Here's a little picture to brighten your day and make the rain go away.

Book Cover

2010-09-29T00:16:00.000-04:00

The Tempest

2010-08-18T15:22:00.001-04:00

Here is another poster exploration. This time for Shakespeare's Tempest

Star Gazing with the Space Ranger

2010-08-15T00:02:00.000-04:00

As a kid, my family often went camping in the Shenandoah mountains. I always loved going to the park ranger activities. Once we went on a night hike, and except for the bugs, it was great. I decided to use that as a basis for this image and thought it would be fun to exchange the National Parks ranger with a Space Ranger. They are better guides when viewing stars anyway.

Illustration Friday: Star gazing

2010-08-13T21:09:00.000-04:00

I think this is what the astronauts are really doing when they go out on their space walks to "supposedly" fix the space station....

Illustration Friday: Caged

2010-08-12T16:15:00.001-04:00

Here's a new gouache illustration for this week's Illustration Friday word: "Caged". I thought it'd be fun to do a traveling circus of monsters.

An elf ant and a frumpling

A Snaggle-tooth Devil in a Blue Dress

A Paraframp Manzapple Eater -- Very Rare!

Sassyquatch

2010-08-03T14:00:00.000-04:00

While out bird watching the other morning, I came across this little fellow. Obviously separated from his mother, this baby Sasquatch looked a little nervous. I didn't want to get too close or scare him off. Beautiful what you can see while communing with nature.

Poster: King Lear

2010-07-30T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here's a poster design exploration. This time for King Lear. This would be a 4 color silkscreen. I saw a production of this at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The actor who played Lear was fantastic. I saw it almost 15 years ago and still remember it. It was also the first time I saw a thunderstorm on stage.

Poster Design - Comedy of Errors

2010-07-30T11:59:00.000-04:00

I saw a fun production of A Comedy of Errors directed by an old friend at the Baltimore Shakespeare Festival last night. It played visually with Magritte paintings and had a great cast. It was closing night so it is no more.... but you should check out other productions by the BSF.

I thought it would be fun to design a poster for this play. I'd definitely produce it as a silkscreen. For those of you who are not familiar with the play, basically its about two sets of twins who don't know the other set exists and on top of all that they get mistaken for each other by everyone else. High-larity! For the wiki notes: Comedy of errors.

If you are in the NYC area this summer, you should also check out Hip to Hip Theatre company's production of Taming of the Shrew. They have a great poster (not designed by me) for this show as well.

You can learn more about this show here: www.hiptohip.org. They are a great company with very talented actors.

Spaghetti Western

2010-07-23T23:37:00.000-04:00

Here's poster design for the spaghetti western "Beyond the Law"

I wish movie posters were as exciting as rock posters. I'm a great fan of the movie posters created in Poland in the late 50s and the 60s. It was often difficult to get the marketing for movies during this time, so they created their own. Many are stunning and almost all are more interesting than what the studios put out. You can read more about it here.

Ribbon Ballet Dance-Off

2010-07-19T22:08:00.000-04:00

After the fiercest Ribbon Ballet Dance-off this year, the hands-down, thunder-thigh winner of 2010 is Bobo Linda.

A Single Man

2010-07-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

Started doodling while watching A Single Man. Very Beautiful film. This is kind of a caricature of Julianne Moore's character.... but it looks like a new wave rocker too (ha ha).

Wrapping it up

2010-07-12T17:33:00.000-04:00

Don't Look! I haven't finished wrapping your present yet!

Traveling to Utrecht

2010-07-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a little picture I drew while thinking of my friend in the Netherlands. I would love to go back for a visit....Excuse me, while I go purchase a few helium balloons.

Monster BaseBall

2010-06-18T10:37:00.001-04:00

Here's a little painting inspired by a little league game I got to see in Sheridan, WY on drive across the country. (I probably should have made the slug monster the slugger! Ha ha ha ha ha! Slug Slugger! Ha!)

Cha-Cha-Changes

2010-05-14T16:07:00.000-04:00

FareStart 2010

2010-05-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

This year's Guest Chef on the Waterfront is July 14. You can purchase tickets at www.farestart.org . This is THE BEST food event in Seattle this summer. With over 70 of the area's most talented chefs, wineries, and purveyors of fine foods, it is not to be missed.

This year's artwork focuses on the theme of the Student Chef. I had a lot of fun drawing this one.

Bernard

2010-04-05T18:36:00.000-04:00

Bernard is an inter-glactic exchange student from the plant Zortog in the 5th dimension galaxy of Snorgalop. With his three feet he is an excellent dancer and is looking for that perfect host family, who is a bit alternative, and is into punk rock music.

Julie the Socktopuss

2010-04-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

Meet Julie the Socktopuss! I met her this weekend.

Julie likes to wash up on the beaches of the Puget Sound. If you are the type who likes to go for long waddles down the beach, sip on kelp cocktails, and hug...tightly... with arms like suction cups --- the Julie is the gal for you!

(my new hobby.... sock monsters!)

Springtime

2010-03-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

Ahhh.... springtime is here. All the uber cute spring-themed design work that is popping up in the local card shop and drugstore!! All the cute, cute, cute, baby farm animals. Unfortunately... most designers forget about all the cute baby monsters that feed on these baby farm animals in the dark of the night! That's why I create a desktop wallpaper everyone can download from my website and display on their computers!

Expired

2010-03-20T16:50:00.000-04:00

Nothing worse than expired milk. Every once in a while there will be this odor in the fridge....

In my younger days I used to just buy more milk and hope that the expired milk would just walk out of the fridge by itself. If you do this, be sure to warn your friends when you catch them rooting around in your refrigerator looking to take a quick swig of something. I've lost a friend or two over this.

Subterranean: Going out to Play

2010-03-14T19:49:00.000-04:00

Here's another gouache painting! I'm having so much fun returning to more traditional method of image making. This was done for the Illustration Friday site's word of the week: subterranean. I'm also exploring new environments to put characters in.

T. Roll Jr. is going out to meet his friends. No... he's not sneaking out at midnight. It's just the beginning of his afternoon. Hee Hee.

The Midnight Escape

2010-03-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

The great escape from Monster Isle.

MORE BUNNIES

2010-02-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

Hoppy Cooking! These bunnies have been very busy getting ready for Sunday dinner. I hope that's a chocolate cream pie.

Bunny Delivery

2010-02-27T17:55:00.000-05:00

Just this morning I was looking out my window, when I saw this. I quick ran and got my camera. This was just one of many trips my neighbor was taking from his house to the truck. I was surprised to see him so busy with such a long ways to go until Easter.

I've been playing around with this new illustrations style. This painting was inspired by Mary Blair... one of my favorite illustrators!

Yippie! for Springtime

2010-02-26T21:32:00.001-05:00

My family isn't too thrilled with me lately. I think this is probably because I keep sending them pictures of all the cherry trees, daffodils, azaleas and other plants in full bloom; while they are still digging out from under several feet of snow! I keep telling them they should move to the west coast!

Oh well... this was inspired by our recent springtime weather we've been having here in the Pacific Northwest. I LOVE IT! (The weather that is, although I like this painting okay too.)

Drunken Elves!

2009-12-18T13:49:00.000-05:00

What do the elves do once Santa takes of in his sleigh? PARTY!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Owl Boy

2009-11-28T16:43:00.000-05:00

Busy Workshop

2009-11-25T17:08:00.000-05:00

Ahh.... it's been forever and a day since I've posted. Sorry about that. Here's a photo taken in our studio recently. I'm in the center painting. As you can tell... my co-workers seem to be having a bit of fun! (ha ha)

Princess

2009-06-02T15:12:00.000-04:00

The first day of summer vacation and their is NOTHING TO DO!!!
I am bored!!!!

Lollipop Monster

2009-06-02T15:10:00.000-04:00

Lollipops! Lollipops! I got the Lollipops!

Shop Local

2009-05-20T19:03:00.000-04:00

Here's another recent illustration that I did for the Seattle Weekly. It ran in their April 22 issue and accompanied an article on Environomically-Friendly: Shop Local.

Sasquatch

2009-05-20T18:46:00.000-04:00

Here's my latest illustration. This was done for the Seattle Weekly for their article on the upcoming Sasquatch music festival.

It was totally fun to illustrate and the folks the Weekly were great to work with.

Fashion Smashon

2009-03-27T01:25:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick illustration I did or a local Fashion Show event.

Guest Chef on the Waterfront 2009

2009-03-23T14:50:00.000-04:00

Here is this year's artwork for FareStart's Guest Chef on the Waterfront! This year they really wanted to focus on the many chef's who partner with them throughout the year. So I tried to reflect this in the artwork by focusing only on chefs, ship captains and mermen (gotta have mer-people).

FareStart is a job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. Over the past 17 years, FareStart has provided opportunities for over 3,000 people to transform their lives, while also serving over 3.5 million meals to disadvantaged men, women, and children.

This is the best summer event in Seattle, by far. Great food and location. This year the event will be held on July 15 at Elliot Hall on Pier 66.

Cosmos for Critters

2009-01-28T17:41:00.001-05:00

Argh! With the holidays and all I haven't posted in a while. Here's a new illustration that I'm working on for an upcoming fundraiser.