It's pretty much Christmas year-round here at the studio. There's been many a summer day where the AC was cranking along with the sounds of Bing Crosby as a new Santa or Snowman image was being created. I say "new" lightly because let's be honest... these illustrations are about as nostalgic and traditional as they come. Nothing "new" about them. I like it that way though. Just sentimental I guess.
Board-game Design- The Great Coin Caper
Slowly but surely, the plan is to add more and more history about some of the more interesting projects that have made their way through this studio over the past couple years- in what the Jones Studio scientists refer to as the "Pre-Larryial Blog Era". Many a fun and joyous game board has been designed and illustrated here over the years and today we'll take a look at that momentous educational phenomena known as The Great Coin Caper- A Dewey Whodunit Game- (Highsmith). Attached are some of the original sketches that still remain as well as the finished art. And now ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... some stuff I drew...
"Game Box in Repose on Oak Dining Room Table"
This is how I draw stuff.
The finished game board a la photoshop.
Goofy robots make me happy.
The card face.
Sketches of some of my favorite old acquaintances from school.
This game is fashioned after the game of "CLUE"... and these are your Professor Plums, etc...
...but no-one get's killed by these...
...And the finished game, in morning sunlight, upon shooing the cat away 14 times.
Spot Illustrations for a Children's Publication
Here are eight recent spot illustrations done for a children's magazine that won't be published for a few months... (so I can't say which one right now.) The theme of the article is about the origins of common games we all know and play.
Adobe illustrator is becoming more and more my program of choice these days. I don't know if it's because it produces such clean art, or the fact that it has unlimited "undos". All I know is that it takes the sloppy artist in me and cleans him right up... like having my own personal illustration robot to do my bidding.
The game of chess originated in India where the bishop was actually a camel or elephant.
Kite flying got it's start in China.
Checkers has 3000 year old roots in Iraq.
The game of marbles originated in Egypt.
The game of Jacks used to be called "knucklebones" and originated in Greece... and used real bones!
We have the Dutch to thank for our jump-ropes.
An ancient Greek vase was found with art depicting someone playing with a yo-yo.
A 3500 year old clay top was found in Iraq.